The S Tournament
by lord of the land of fire
Summary: Takehito lives, Miya never falls in love, changing everything.
1. The opening

**Some Years Ago…**

"You wanted to see me Minaka?" Takehito entered his room. While they were on Kamikura Island they all lived within the massive space ship that still lay half buried. The room Minaka used was significantly larger than most of the others. They hypothesized it had belonged to the ship's captain, but there was no way to know for sure. "I hope this is something important, I was just about to give number one her physical."

"Ah, yes, it's about that." Minaka said. "I've decided to change the assignments; Takami will take care of the Discipline Squad members from now on."

Takehito gave him a startled look. "What is this?" He demanded angrily. I'm the one who came up with all their enhancements! I created the special adjustments that made them powerful enough to defend this island from invasion!"

"I know all that," Minaka motioned his hands soothingly. "I appreciate your genius, even Takami acknowledges you as the leader in the field of Sekirei adjustments!"

"Then why the hell am I being demoted?" Takehito shouted.

"You're not! I'm just going to move you to where your skills are needed most." Minaka gave him a wide smile. "To a place where you can… _experiment _to your heart's content."

Takehito's mouth opened to yell, but he checked himself. "Explain," he said sounding suspicious.

Minaka rubbed his hands together. He knew Takehito from his school days; he'd been a classmate at Tokyo U. just like Takami. But while he and Takami had studied pharmaceuticals, Takehito had been Japan's number one upcoming researcher in bio-engineering. His research paper about the possible uses for shark DNA had set the scientific community buzzing. Some called it brilliant while others argued it was madness. Minaka knew that at his heart what Takehito really was a mad scientist, he was in love with experimentation and seeing the limits of what medical science was capable of. His work with the Disciplinary Squad really had been incredible.

"Wouldn't you say you've already done as much with the first five as you can?"

"No," he answered. "There is still a lot more work that can be done with them."

"Well, perhaps, but since they've been forced into early maturation you won't be able to do much more than provide minor adjustments."

Takehito was forced to nod. Other than number one they had been forced to take four embryos out of stasis and mature them at an accelerated rate. That had been unfortunate, but given their security needs there had been no choice. Adjustments to sekirei worked best as their bodies were developing. It was harder to create basic changes once they reached adulthood.

"Wouldn't your skills be put to better use on the other embryos?"

"You've decided to take them out of stasis?" Takehito asked eagerly. His anger at losing the Disciplinary Squad instantly forgotten.

Minaka chuckled, he had him now. "That's right, how would you like to take care of the other three embryos?"

His eyes narrowed. "You mean other four, right?"

"Heh, well, actually I already promised to give one to Miyajima…"

"WHAT?!!" Takehito roared. "You're giving one of the embryos to that dried up old woman?!"

"I sort of had to; it was the price for getting her company's support and funding. Without her it would have been impossible for me to create MBI and build it up as quickly as I did."

"Couldn't you just have given her stock like a normal business man?"

"Actually I had to give her 20% of my company too," Minaka stated.

"Great, that's just great, you know all she's going to do is experiment to her heart's content don't you?"

"Jealous?" Minaka teased.

Takehito gave him a pleasant look as a hannyo mask materialized above his shoulder. "What was that?"

"Nothing! Nothing!" Minaka said quickly.

The mask vanished and Takehito began to slowly rub his chin. "Well… if you had to then there's nothing to do about it now. I do have some interesting ideas for those new single numbers."

"I leave them totally in your hands then," Minaka said happily. "Go get them ready for the S-Plan."

"You're not still going on about _that_ are you?" Takehito complained. "It's an idiotic idea."

"We'll see," Minaka replied.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Where is Takehito?" Number one asked as she disrobed. "He is the one who always gives me my physicals."

"I've been reassigned to look after you and the rest of your squad from now on," Takami said and smiled at her. "Let's try and be friends."

Number one just stared back at her unblinking. As always her face was an empty canvas. She cared only about her duty, nothing else mattered to her.

"I assume you wish me to sit up on the table?"

Takami sighed, _this is going to be challenging. _"Yes, now please take a couple deep breaths."

XXXXXXXXXX

"That's not fair! We're not going to have Takehito taking care of us anymore?" Matsu complained. "I was hoping to have him use my body for an experiment!"

"He already has," Mutsu noted. "He's used all our bodies for experiments." He shuddered at some of those memories.

"You know what I mean!" Matsu glared at him.

"Inappropriate relations with MBI personnel are strictly forbidden," their commander noted.

"You're no fun Miya!" Matsu complained.

"Being a member of this elite unit has nothing to do with fun," she noted primly. "It is a duty and an honor."

From the other side of the room came an amused snort.

"You wish to add something number four?"

At a small table Karasuba was patiently sharpening her sword with a small stone. "Who the hell cares about honor and duty? All that matters to me is that we get to kill."

"Any animal with claw or fang can kill," Miya said coldly. "Without honor, without duty, we become nothing but beasts."

Karasuba snorted once more. "What do you think you are? A samurai? A knight maybe?" She set her sword down and pointed to her. "You're nothing but Minaka's killer and enforcer, we all are. There's nothing 'noble' to any of this, we're just the muscle that lets MBI do what it wants."

Number one clenched her teeth and her right hand drifted to the top of her sword. "I find your attitude highly repugnant, you sicken me."

Karasuba placed her own hand on her sword. "Want to do something about it?" She asked sweetly.

"Now, now, the atmosphere is getting a little heavy in here," Kazehana stepped between them. "Can't we all just get along?"

Chuckling Karasuba returned to sharpening her sword.

Miya took her hand away from her sword's grip. She knew she wasn't like the others. She alone had been an adult when their ship had been sent through space to this world. She alone knew what had happened to their world. To her the concepts of duty and honor were vital and very real. She would never become a mad dog who killed just for the sake of killing. She, and her unit, would always act with honor and loyalty.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Present Day**

Minaka stood atop MBI Tower looking out upon the city of Tokyo. He had spent twenty years getting ready for this day. "108 little birds, let's set them free and begin the S-Tournament!"

Behind him camera bulbs flashed and reporters waited to ask questions. MBI's press releases had been building up to this for the last twelve months. The entire world was sitting on the edge of its seat eagerly awaiting the result.

Standing well above the crowd in the clock tower five figures were looking on, some in amusement some with sorrow some with no feeling at all.

Miya looked at her four teammates.

She felt a sense of pride in the fact she had kept them all together and loyal to the cause they served. It had **not** been easy! Mutsu had been the first to try and quit. He wanted to have a freer existence and see the world. Then Kazehana had tried to leave when she finally realized that her feelings for Minaka were never going to be returned, her love was doomed to remain unrequited. Matsu had gotten a stupid idea about stealing something from MBI and using it as leverage to secure her freedom. Ironically only Karasuba had never tried to back out of her responsibilities, she felt the life of a Disciplinary Squad soldier suited her.

Miya had personally found and then dragged back both Mutsu and Kazehana when they tried to leave. She'd found out about Matsu's plan and had threatened to chop off her hand if she ever stole from their master. That had put the girl back in her proper place. In the end her will had kept all five members together.

"So what happens now?" Matsu asked. She was looking over sympathetically at Kazehana. The wind sekirei was staring down longingly at Minaka.

"Now we fulfill our original purpose and enforce the rules of the S-Tournament until its conclusion."

"Sounds boring," Karasuba complained. "We probably won't even have the chance to kill anyone."

"I just wish they would let us go and get out own ashikabi!" Matsu complained.

"That would be disruptive to team unity," Miya answered. "If we all had different ashikabi that would cause friction between us."

"I don't want an ashikabi," Kazehana mumbled.

_You mean you don't want an ashikabi other than Minaka, _Matsu thought. "Well then why couldn't we all have a single ashikabi?"

"Minaka considered that, but I was able to convince him it was a poor idea." Miya stated.

"Why?" Matsu asked petulantly.

"If we had an ashikabi he might consider himself to be in charge of us. **I **am the one who leads this unit."

The others all looked at her. Miya might try and be stoic but there was an intense amount of pride hiding there just beneath the surface. There was no denying that she was their leader, even Karasuba acknowledged that.

Below them Minaka began to answer questions about the S-Tournament that would actually start in 30 days. Since they already knew all the details they didn't bother to listen. They were after all the designated enforcers of the Tournament's rules.

XXXXXXXXXX

Takehito came out of the kitchen with a steaming hot cup of coffee in his hand. He was already dressed for work with his white lab coat. The Izumo Inn would be likely receiving some new boarders today. He looked unhappily at the Inn's only current boarder who was sitting at the breakfast table gobbling down food and making his usual mess.

"Seo," he said pleasantly as a hannyo mask appeared. "I ever tell you that you're complete and total scum? I let you live here rent free and I even let you eat my cooking, could you at least _not _make a mess of my home?"

Seo glanced up nervously. "Damn Takehito why you gotta be so scary?"

"Just clean it up, we have to get to work." The mask disappeared as Takehito sipped some more coffee.

Seo quickly finished off the rice and cleaned up, bringing the dirty dishes into the kitchen and washing them. He then put on his own white lab coat. Having just barely graduated from college Takehito had gotten him a position with MBI in his department.

"It's going to be a mad house today, why don't we just skip work and call in sick?"

"That kind of attitude is the reason you're still just a lab tech," Takehito grabbed his annoying friend and boarder by the arm and marched him out the door.

XXXXXXXXXX

As they neared MBI Tower it seemed to be under siege. The entire complex was ringed by wheeled fighting vehicles that were parked bumper to bumper. Standing on and in front of the vehicles in their hundreds were MBI soldiers. Up above were a dozen MBI helicopters and almost as many police and news helicopters.

Surrounding the tower was a throng of _thousands _of, mostly, men shouting and holding up signs. The signs had messages like; 'choose me' or 'please be mine.'

"Will you just look at this?" Seo said in disbelief. "It's not even noon yet and it's already like this!"

Takehito sighed. "Can you blame them? When he announced the S-Tournament and that dozens of gorgeous alien women were going to be released here at noon to seek out, 'masters' how did you think people would react?" Some of the sekirei that were about to be freed, five to be exact, were male. That still meant there would be 98 female sekirei who would be available. Their pictures had been released by MBI's public relations department and had been downloaded by millions of men all over the world. Despite the restrictive rules of the Tournament men from all over the world had flown to Japan just to be here today to try and get their very own sekirei.

"You know Hikari and Hibiki both really like me," Seo began.

"No!" Takehito cut him off sharply. "I've already told you a hundred times that MBI personnel are disqualified from participating in the S-Tournament. Any way you and I both know the only reason those two like you so much is because they haven't met anyone else."

Seo was one of the techs assigned to care for numbers 11 and 12. Since the adjuster and other techs had all been much older men, all of them married, it had been natural for the two twins to focus their affection on him. And it wasn't as though Seo had done anything to discourage them.

"That's really mean," Seo told him.

"Doesn't mean it's not true."

It took longer than it should have but eventually one of the fighting vehicles moved aside temporarily clearing a space and allowing Takehito and Seo to get to work.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I'm going to be very busy today so I have to leave you," Takami said. "Don't cause any trouble!"

Sahashi Minato grinned at her nervously. "I won't I promise!" He was standing in his usual clothes with a Visitor badge pinned to his jacket. They were on the 80th floor of MBI Tower where the observation deck was. The entire floor had been converted over to a greeting area for the world's media. There were tables filled with food and drink and women in maids outfits circulated through carrying trays with food or drinks. There were hundreds of new crews conducting interviews of sending out reports, many of them were foreign and he heard all sorts of different language with alien accents and vowels in them. Minaka was here, surrounded by a horde of reporters and cameramen. He was clearly enjoying himself; he had always thrived in the spotlight.

"Now remember our deal!" His mom told him. "This is your graduation present! When you get done with Tokyo U. you're not getting anything from me, got it?" He was about to start his second year at the prestigious university as an engineering student. She had tried to keep her connections to MBI a secret but Minaka had forced her to conduct public interviews and so her family had found out about her real job several years ago.

Unlike Minaka she didn't crave attention and would have been happier without the public acknowledgement. But there were some positives to her being a celebrity. Apparently her son's performance on the university entrance exam had been borderline. She didn't _know _that her name and connections had gotten him accepted.

But given the ten million dollar scholarship MBI sponsored at the school it might have had an effect.

"Don't worry mom there's nothing you could give me that could be better than this! All my friends are dying of jealousy!"

"That's fine then, just stay out of trouble." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then waded into the room. She was quickly ambushed by a news crew from Germany and forced to answer some translated questions.

Minato took out a slim digital camera and began taking some pictures to show his friends later. Like most guys his age he'd been fascinated by the sudden announcement from MBI that not only did aliens exist but that they looked like incredibly beautiful men and women and would soon be living in parts of Tokyo and looking for individual 'masters' to 'take care of them.' Websites were created over night just to talk about them and ponder what sorts of 'special powers' they might have. Some of the suggestions were pretty gross even for him.

Many of the sites did nothing but argue over which of the sekirei were the most beautiful. Even lollicons got into it cheering for number 108. He had never bothered to spend much time at any of those sites or even gone over the photos. Being an engineering student at Tokyo U. ate up all his time, and besides his mother had never encouraged him. Despite her position in MBI she had told him practically nothing about her work or what the sekirei were like. This was the first time he'd ever come here and gotten past the lobby. And he'd had to beg and plead and whine for months to get her to agree.

Wandering through the crowd he was satisfied just listening to others talk while snapping off a few pictures. He took a few of Minaka and the crowd but he mostly snapped pictures of the servers. (He was guy after all)

As the morning dragged on slowly towards noon he wandered away from the main reception area to do a little exploring. There were guards on the elevators and stairwells to make sure unauthorized people traveled only from the 80th back to the lobby. But the whole floor was open and the guards did nothing to keep him from walking through it.

As he went he looked through open doors to mostly empty rooms, just looking about. Then he opened one door and was startled to see a young woman standing inside quietly gazing out the window. Hearing his gasp she turned about to look at him.

She was gorgeous, simply beautiful. She had shoulder length black hair and dark brown eyes. She had large, but not huge, breasts and hips that curved like a wine glass. She wore a plain white jacket with a white button down shirt and a black mini shirt that showed off most of her thighs.

She was so absolutely stunning that he couldn't think to do anything but stare at her for a moment. She too said nothing; she just stood there with her hands at her sides looking at him.

"Who are you?" She finally spoke, breaking their weird silence.

He blinked and gathered himself. "Oh, uh, sorry to disturb you. My name is Sahashi Minato," he gave her a slight bow as an apology. "I didn't know anyone was here."

"Then why did you open the door?" She asked him curiously.

He was glad she didn't seem to be upset. "Uh, no reason really, I was just sort of exploring I guess."

When he said that he was rewarded by the most dazzling smile he'd ever seen. Since becoming a Tokyo U. student he'd gotten a few smiles from the fairer sex and gone out on a handful of dates and been to some parties. He couldn't remember ever feeling his heart starting beating like this before though.

"I can understand that," she put a finger to her lips and winked at him. "Don't tell anyone but that's what I'm doing too, I'm not supposed to be here but I wanted to come down and see for a little while."

Hearing that he quickly shut the door behind him. "So you don't have permission to be here?" It wasn't shocking. Lots of people were desperate to get into MBI Tower today. The only surprising thing was the fact that it was beautiful woman who had snuck in rather than a horny teen or lonely middle aged guy.

"I don't have permission to be on this floor," she said.

"In that case here," he clipped off his Visitor badge and walked over to offer it to her. "You can use this and not get in trouble."

She looked at the offered badge in surprise and then he saw that wonderful smile widen just a tiny bit. "Won't you get in trouble though?"

He laughed. "Yes, probably a little, my mom won't be happy. But I can just say I lost it so it won't be that big a deal."

Shaking her head she took the badge from him and clipped it back onto his shirt. "That's all right; I won't get into any trouble if I'm found. Still, it's very kind of you to offer."

"Are you sure," he said weakly. When she had touched his hand to take the badge his knees had gotten weak. And he noticed that she hadn't let go.

"Yes I'm sure," she took his hand and placed it against her cheek. She shut her eyes and gently pressed the palm of his hand to her soft skin. "You're very warm." She whispered. "You… give me a warm feeling here." She lightly touched her bosom over her heart.

"Me… me too," he said trying not to shake. He was still a virgin but he'd gotten a little experience since entering school. He had kissed and necked and enjoyed some fondling. Nothing though had ever had the sense of… intimacy that he felt right now. Standing alone in this room with her, he felt as though they were the only people in all of existence.

"I wonder if this is fate?" She opened her eyes to look at him, still holding his hand. "I have always dreamed of finding my special person and here you are. Do you believe in destiny Minato?"

"Not really," he admitted. "But I think I might change my mind." He swallowed and asked her something. "Would you go out with me?"

"Go out with you?" Her face was questioning, unsure.

"Uh, never mind," he said and carefully took back his hand. "I'm sure a woman like you wouldn't be interested in a second year college student like me. I'm sure you could do much better."

"I am sorry Minato, I don't understand the question." She said sounding a little confused. "Are you asking if I'd like to be yours?"

"Well… yeah," he said. "I mean I know there's no way that…"

"Yes."

He blinked. "What?"

"Yes, I would like to be yours." She again took his hand, this time simply holding it in both of hers. "I believe in fate, that if you stand with your heart open love will find its way to you. You are kind and give me warmth when you are near. I believe that you and I are meant to be together, so yes, I will be yours."

"Really?" he asked just not believing it.

"Yes," she told him again. "I promise to be yours, now and forever."

Of its own will his body began to lean in closer to her, his lips approaching hers. From the look in her eye and that way her cheeks were blushing he thought she was ready to be kissed, but at the last instant she pulled back and stepped away from him.

"I'm sorry," she apologized and hurried to the door. "But we can't do that yet."

"Wait! Where are you going?" Minato was afraid she was about to leave and he would not see her again.

"Please be just a little patient Minato. Will you be in the lobby at noon? When the release is?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess."

"Then I promise to meet you then and we can have our first kiss. Please wait patiently."

"Do you promise? Am I really going to see you again?"

"I promise Minato, I swear it with all my heart." She opened the door to leave.

"Wait! I don't even know your name!"

"Oh! I'm very sorry, I must have forgotten." At the door she placed both hands over her heart and bowed to him. "I am Yume, sekirei number 8, the fate sekirei; I will be with you again soon my dear Minato."

With that she left.

Minato stood there rooted to the spot. _Did she just say she's a __**SEKIREI?!!**_

XXXXXXXXXX

The guards heard a loud shriek and quickly investigated. They found a young man with a Visitor's badge passed out in one of the rooms. When he came to he apologized and went down to the lobby.

XXXXXXXXXX

As noon approached the action moved from the observation level down to the lobby. In order to make the completion as fair as possible all the sekirei who would participate in the Tournament were being released at once. They would have 30 days to find their ashikabis and perform whatever training they wished to in order to ready themselves. It was a unique event for modern times and cameras from all over the world would record it.

"Why are you so nervous?" Takami asked.

"No reason," Minato said and looked about.

"What are you up to?" She asked suspiciously.

"No… nothing, it's just a big event."

"Hmmmm," Takami was obviously having trouble buying it.

Minato was on pins and needles. Had she been telling the truth? Was she really a sekirei? Getting a sekirei wasn't something he thought about except as a fantasy. Becoming the master of a super beautiful alien? Yeah, right, as though that could happen.

But what if she really was?! He looked about the lobby, he saw no sign of her but it wasn't quite noon yet, the sekirei were still being held in a conference room.

"You are definitely up to something and I want to know what it is," Takami demanded.

"Mom I swear…"

"May I have your attention please?" Minaka's voice boomed out over loud speakers. He was speaking not only to those inside the lobby but the vast crowd outside as well. "It is now noon! hereby declare the opening Stage of the S-Tournament to be underway! Release the sekirei!"

From in the lobby came applause. From outside there was a booming cheer.

The guards on the conference room door threw it open signaling the beginning of a new age.

The sekirei inside did not all react the same. Some immediately fled the scene, running out of the building and leaping away in a blur.

Some strutted out and walked up to the cameras, only too happy to be interviewed and receive attention.

Some poked their heads out nervously and appeared afraid to some out. Minato noticed a little blonde haired girl who couldn't be older than 8. There was a young silver haired boy in his early teens standing next to her. She was clutching his leg and he was trying to comfort her.

But finally Minato saw _her _come out. She soon spotted him and began walking his way. He stood there, unable to see anything but her. His heart was pounding like crazy and he was afraid she was going to see him faint right in front of her. Her smile was so amazing he wondered how anyone like her could be interested in plain old him.

Seeing her approach Takami addressed her. "Number 8, good luck finding your ashikabi," she said politely. Even though she was one of Takehito's she still knew her of course.

"Thank you very much," Yume said just as politely. "But I have already found him."

"What do you…" She saw Yume walk right past her and up to her son. Saw her gaze into his eyes and place both hands on his shoulders. For one of the very few times in her life she was left literally speechless.

"Minato," she said ignoring the hundreds of cameras that were suddenly pointed at her. "I promise to be with you, now and forever."

She leaned in and kissed him as flash bulbs went off in a blinding succession. Wings of light and a crest appeared as her body filled with the most perfect heat.

With that the S-Tournament was fully under way.


	2. The second ashikabi

**One Year Ago**

"Ladies and gentlemen of the world's media!" Minaka called out waving his hands about excitedly. "Welcome to Kamikura Island! Behind me as you can all see is a vast ship of alien origin! It crashed here on our world untold years ago and was discovered by me and my dear colleague Sahashi Takami 19 years ago! Within this amazing vessel we discovered not only the wondrous technologies that have made all of MBI's medical advances possible but actual _alien life forms! _In fact these five people standing behind me are members of an alien race known as **Sekirei.**"

The cameras all went from Minaka to the Disciplinary Squad members standing on a wooden stage behind him. All of them in their distinctive black uniforms and long grey coats. Three of them had swords on their hips.

As the cameras looked at them Miya remained utterly unaffected, looking bored with the event. Matsu eagerly waved at them like a little kid. Kazehana grinned and blew them all a kiss.

Karasuba grinned and nodded. "Damn annoying monkeys," she muttered under her breath.

Mutsu chuckled and gave a slight wave of his hand.

"I will have them demonstrate for you their amazing powers in order to prove to you and the world that they truly are aliens. After which I intend to give you all a tour of the ship and a slight demonstration of a _few _of the technologies to be found on board." The focus of the over 1,000 reporters and cameramen returned to him. "Before we begin with the demonstrations are there any questions?"

An American reporter from CSN got his attention. "Why are you sharing all this with the world now if it's apparently been a carefully guarded secret for so long?"

"An excellent question!" Minaka replied. "As a businessman and a philanthropist it has always been my intention to share the wonders I discovered here with my fellow man. By right of salvage I became the owner of not only the ship but everything within it, including of course the sekirei themselves. In order to facilitate the process of integrating the wonders of this ship into our world I thought it best to reveal the true source of these miracles."

That produced a loud murmur and Minaka next called on a blonde French woman. "I am sorry, perhaps I misunderstood. Did you say that the people you found on board actually _belong _to you? As if they were property?"

"That's correct," Minaka said. "Living beings can be property of course, as any cattle rancher or dog owner could tell you."

"Did he actually just compare us to _dogs and cows?" _Karasuba asked angrily.

"So what if he did?" Mutsu asked. "Didn't you just call all of them monkeys?"

"That's different," Karasuba assured him.

"How?"

"They really _are _monkeys!"

"Quiet both of you," Miya hissed at them.

"Cows and dogs are not sentient beings," the French reporter pressed. "Isn't this actually a form of slavery?"

Minaka did not look upset in the slightest by either the question or by the hostile tone. "By definition only _human _beings can be enslaved. Despite appearances the sekirei are not human, as will shortly be proven. Whether sentient or not they did not originate on this world and cannot claim the same rights we humans. As they have no status as citizens or residents of Japan or any other nation their legal status would be that of property."

The French reporter wanted to argue but Minaka pointed to a man from China.

"By what right do you or your corporation justify monopolizing such advanced technologies?" The reporter demanded. "Such a matter should be handled by the highest levels of government. Not by some loud simpleton who just happened to stumble upon them."

Minaka laughed. "I see, so you would prefer I hand over all this advanced technology to the Japanese government? This island does lie in their territorial; waters after all."

The reporter from China did not answer immediately and did not look pleased at the prospect.

"Or perhaps the Americans should be given it? Or the Russians? Or the European Union? Which would _you_ trust with these secrets? Wouldn't any government not immediately use this ship and its technologies for its own best interests? How many of the technologies would be studied in secret and them used covertly against its rivals and foes?"

Looking out at the diverse crowd Minaka was happy to see the suspicious looks different groups were giving one another. The world might be becoming smaller with all the advances in information and travel, but national identity and feeling still counted for a lot.

"MBI on the other hand is a multinational corporation whose products can be found in every national market across the globe. We have no hidden agendas, no borders, we are only interested in making profit and the best way to do that is by sharing what we learn with all people equally. We have done so up until now and will continue to do so without prejudice. Isn't that really the best possible alternative?"

Not all, not even most, of the reporters nodded at that. But at least some did, and even if not everyone agreed the message would go out with their broadcasts and give the public something to consider.

Nearby Takehito and Takami were listening as Minaka fielded more questions, expertly diverting troublesome topics while heaping self praise on himself when possible.

"Look at him, he's like a kid who got locked into a candy store," Takami noted sourly.

"Let him have his fun, its harmless enough." Takehito said.

She looked at him curiously. "Just how did you manage to get him to change his plans? Scrapping the S-Plan for the tournament and even convincing him to openly reveal the truth about the ship and the existence of sekirei. Just how did you talk him into it?"

"It was simple really; you know how much he loves attention right?"

"Yes," she said dryly. "Like the way sharks like chum."

"Well, I just convinced him that instead of having to worry about n another series of invasions and covert attacks by the world's governments he could more easily protect himself by just revealing the truth to the world. Now that everyone knows this place exists no nation would dare to attack it."

"But now they can demand everything be handed over to them," Takami pointed out.

Takehito shook his head. "I thought about that, the leading powers are all terrified that one of them will get all the tech and so gain a huge advantage. If they try and force the issue Minaka can just offer to hand everything over to Japan or America or Russia. As soon as the other states see that might really happen they'll suddenly decide letting MBI control things might not be so bad."

"What if the UN steps in though claiming to act on behalf of the whole planet?"

"Well in that case Minaka can offer to share equally with _every _nation big and small. The members of the Security Council don't want that either. Their afraid of what could happen if every country has access to these wondrous technologies. If every little country suddenly has the potential to make unlimited cheap energy or develop industries as advanced as any on the planet that also ruins things for the big powers."

"Yes, that would be horrible," Takami noted. "Solving all the world's energy problems and increasing everyone's' standard of living."

"Whatever they may say the lions don't really want to lie down with the lambs," Takehito noted.

"And how did you manage to get him to give up on the S-Plan?"

"I told him he'd get way better publicity if he didn't have sekirei trying to kill each other."

XXXXXXXXXX

**Present Day**

Minato was staring at the crest and wings of light as they slowly faded from view.

"What just happened?" He asked weakly.

Yume smiled up at him with her big brown eyes. "That was a winging," she told him happily. "You have become my ashikabi Minato-kun, and I have become your sekirei."

"Asheykeebe?" He asked.

He didn't get a chance to ask anything more as a bunch of reporters shoved their microphones in his face and began asking questions of their own.

"Could you tell us your name please and what you do for a living?"

"How does it feel to be the very first 'master?'"

"How did you get a sekirei to commit to you so quickly?"

"Do you have any special training methods or plans for the tournament?"

"Do you intend to force your sekirei to have sexual relations with you?"

Minato stared at all of them with the look of a deer caught in headlights. As he stood there feeling trapped Yume place a hand on his shoulder and leaned in to whisper to him.

"Do you want to leave Minato-kun?"

Looking at her in relief he nodded his head.

"All right then," she reached out and picked him up bridal style.

"Wha... what…"

"Please excuse us," Yume said politely to the reporters just before leaping away with blinding speed.

"Minato get your ass back here!!" Takami roared furiously. "What the hell just happened?!"

"That's what I'd like to know," Takehito came up to her looking rather unhappy. "Takami, just what are you playing at?"

"Me?" She said startled. "I don't have any idea what's going on!"

"Forgive me if I find that a little hard to believe," he said dryly. "Your **son** just happens to become the tournament's very first ashikabi and he does so with one of the single numbers. Don't you think that looks a little suspicious?"

She glared right at him. "Hey! I don't know how that happened! I only brought him here to see the release and the start of the S-Tournament. I don't know why Yume suddenly picked him. Maybe she thought it was fate or something."

"I might be able to help with that," a man in a black outfit said as he slipped through the crowd and up to them.

"Homura," Takehito said. "Do you know what's going on?"

He nodded. "Yume slipped out for a little while this morning so she could take a look at the ceremonies. When she got back she was gushing about some guy finding her and making her heart start beating. She said it was fate and that he was her ashikabi." He looked apologetically at Takami. "She didn't mention it was your son though dear lady." Taking her hand he placed a light kiss on it. "Sorry for the confusion."

"Well I guess that explains things a little bit at least," Takami said. "Thank you Homura."

"Anytime," he said with a debonair smirk. He then felt a hand on the back of his neck and the air around him turned suddenly chilly.

"Homura," Takehito said in a lifeless voice as a hannyo mask materialized. "_Why _was number eight not in the lab waiting to be brought down? Hmmm? I seem to recall giving all three of you _very_ specific instructions on that before I had to go mingle."

"Ah… we… we… well…" terror made the usually suave Homura stutter. Though he could actually burn the scientist to ash a lifetime of experience had left him with a well engrained sense of fear. "She wanted to go…"

"And you didn't try to stop her?"

Homura could feel ice run down his spine.

"We tried to but she wanted to go, she was curious," a large breasted woman with dirty blonde hair came over looking at him nervously. "You know how she is."

"Yes I know how she is," Takehito sighed. The mask disappeared and Homura breathed a sigh of relief. "But you should have told me sooner Akizu, you and Homura should have called me as soon as she left the lab."

Akizu, sekirei number 7 bowed her head apologetically. "Sorry, we didn't want to get her in trouble." She was beautiful in a flowing white and gold dress that had a low back and revealed plenty of cleavage. Like most of her fellow sekirei she was eager and excited to try and find her ashikabi. "Since she made it back in time we really didn't think it was a problem."

"You are still letting us come and stay with you, right?" Homura asked. Their tuner had invited all three of them to come and stay with him at his Inn.

"Naturally you're all still welcome, though I _will _have a few words with Yume the next time I see her." He let out a deep sigh and tried to look on the bright side. "Well at least nothing worse could happen today."

There was a loud stir. Somewhere in the crowd of reporters he saw wings of light rising up.

"Another winging?" Homura said in surprise.

"Someone's not wasting any time," Akizu said.

The wings of light had only just faded when there was another loud stir and a second set of wings appeared.

"Whoa! Did two sekirei just get winged?" Homura asked.

"I think so," Akizu said. "I wonder if it's with the same ashikabi."

"Oh please no," Takehito growled and forced his way through the throng. When he got to the middle of it she spotted Seo standing there with one arm around Hikari and one around Hibiki. Numbers 11 and 12 were both leaning against him and looking happy with themselves.

When Seo spotted him he nodded. "Yo Takehito, I'm quitting my job, you don't mind do you?"

The reporters already knew he was MBI's head researcher and quickly started asking him questions about his relationship to the new ashikabi and whether or not this violated the rules for the S-Tournament.

_I'll kill him I really will kill him, _Takehito thought.


	3. The prize we will all fight for

"Isn't this an amazing view Minato-kun?" Yume asked excitedly. She was jumping about, practically dancing on the edge of where they were.

Where they were happened to be the very top of a skyscraper that was under construction. More specifically they were on a steel girder that was jutting out into empty space about 800 feet above the ground.

Whereas Yume was dancing about Minato was lying on his belly clutching the girder and trying very hard not to look down. "Uh, Yume-chan?"

"Yes, Minato-kun?" She saw his position as he was practically humping the girder. "Is something wrong?"

"Do you think we could go somewhere a little closer to the ground?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Once again holding him bridal style Yume set him down in a deserted section of Tokyo's Midori Mizu Park.

"Is this better Minato-kun?"

"Much," he said as he gratefully put his feet back on solid ground.

"Did you not like the view from the building?" Yume asked.

"Uh, I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I'd had more floor underneath my feet."

She looked at him questioningly.

"Heh, I'm sorry, I guess it was kind of scary being so high up off the ground with so little between me and falling."

"But why should that scare you?" She reached out and took his hand. "I would never let you fall Minato-kun," she gave him that wonderful smile that seemed to light up the air around her. "As long as I am here I will never ever allow Minato-kun to be hurt."

"Thanks," he said a bit weakly. "I'll keep that in mind from now on."

Still holding his hand she looked about at the trees and green grass and appeared totally delighted. He thought she had that honest joy that was usually reserved just for children.

"What a wonderful place!" She said.

"It's just a park," he noted.

"Oh, but I've never been in one before! I've never walked in the grass or seen a real tree or even felt the wind on my face!"

"Really?" He couldn't imagine how someone could live their lives without ever doing any of that.

She nodded. "Most of my life was spent within the ship on Kamikura Island. At least until I was brought to MBI Tower six months ago. But even then I had to spend all my time in one of the labs or common areas. None of us were allowed to go outside or leave the building." Looking at him she gave a conspiratorial wink. "That's why I went downstairs to where the ceremony was going on. Even though I knew I was being released soon I couldn't wait!"

"You've never even been outside? That's horrible."

She shook her head. "It wasn't so bad, I had all sorts of comforts, I was given books and computer programs, and I was able to watch television so that I could learn about this world and its people. I also had my tuner, the lab techs, and my fellow sekirei so I was never ever lonely. Takehito-san said we couldn't be released until our adjustments were completed for safety reasons."

"Safety reasons?"

Smiling she put her arms around him and hugged him, nestling her head against his neck and pressing her breasts into his chest. "For instance, if I hadn't gone through all my adjustments I wouldn't know how much force is safe to use on the human body. I might crush you without even trying to."

"Is… is that so?" Having been carried by her up the side of a building and down again he understood she really was super human. But he didn't find her scary at all. Her hands were soft and warm, just like a girl's were supposed to be. Having her hug him felt really good, her whole body pressing against him felt as natural and right as could be.

She looked up at him. "Am I doing it right?"

"Yeah," he said and put his own arms around her. "You're hug feels very nice."

His kind words made her cheeks blush a bit. "Then… is it all right if I hug you a lot? I think I will want to."

"That sounds good to me."

"And can I also… kiss you a lot?" Her face got just a little bit redder.

He could feel his own face heat up too. Though he had only met her a couple hours ago he already felt a strong connection to her. Unlike with other girls he wasn't afraid of rejection. He slowly leaned down. "Yeah, as much as you want."

She leaned up a bit and they pressed their lips together in a long slow kiss that made her wings of light appear again. Alone in their little corner of the park they kissed again and again, enjoying the sweet pleasure of their new union.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Seo? Have I ever mentioned that you are not only scum but a total idiot?"

Seo was alone with Takehito in his room upstairs. Homura, Akizu, Hikari and Hibiki had all been shown their new rooms. In the case of Hikari and Hibiki they were moving into Seo's room. Takehito had been very kind and welcoming to all of them.

Then he had grabbed Seo by the back of the neck and marched him upstairs to have a, 'chat.'

Seo was kneeling in front of his old friend and mentor staring up at the hannyo mask that was once more floating above Takehito's shoulder. "Pl… please don't be that way Takehito. It's not that big a deal."

"Not that big a deal you say?" Takehito spoke in a pleasant voice as the air around Seo grew chilly. "And just how exactly are you going to pay your bills now that you have no source of income? How much do you have saved up?"

Seo rubbed the back of his head and looked away nervously. "Ah, about a million yen I think."

A friendly hand fell on his shoulder and slowly began to squeeze. "How much?"

"Ah. May… maybe ten thousand yen." He grunted.

Takehito released his friend's shoulder and sighed. He allowed the hannyo to vanish. "That's about what I thought. How the hell you managed to spend so much when you never had to pay for rent or food is beyond me."

"Well it's not like that job really paid that well. I mean you could have tried to get me something a little better."

"What was that?" Takehito asked pleasantly. The hannyo mask returned. Only this time there was blood pouring from its eyes and mouth.

"Nothing! Nothing! It was a great job! Much better than I deserved!" He bowed his head until it touched the floor.

"That's nice to hear," Takehito said and the mask once more disappeared. "Now if only you had appreciated it before throwing it away."

"But what choice did I have?" Seo asked pleadingly.

"Oh I don't know, maybe you could have chosen NOT to wing numbers 11 and 12? That way they would have had a chance of getting an ashikabi who wasn't scum."

"You know that's really mean Takehito."

"I'm just stating a fact. Come on Seo we both know you're lazy, unmotivated, and a complete and total pig. In short, scum. And the really sad thing is that you're actually intelligent! If you just had a little drive you could have made something of yourself!"

"What are you talking about? I have made something of myself! Something great!"

"A soon to be homeless bum with a couple angry women chained to him is not something great in my opinion."

"Homeless?" He laughed dryly. "You wouldn't really do that to your old college friend would you? Don't you always say you would never turn your back on any one who really needed help?"

"Some people are beyond help," he noted. Seeing the fear on Seo's face he relented. "But I probably won't kick you out and leave you to starve… yet."

"Anyway things aren't that bad," Seo insisted. "I mean both Hikari and Hibiki have their MBI cards."

"Are you really so shameless as to take money from those two?"

"Heh." Seo's smile was wide and happy.

"Forget I asked," he grunted. "But that money won't last forever. It's not like MBI is giving its sekirei unlimited funds."

"It'll be enough to see us through until I put my plan into action."

Takehito put his face in his hand. "What sort of hair brained scheme have you come up with?"

"What isn't it obvious?" Seo replied. "Me and my girls are going to win one of the prizes."

"You expect to win one of the prizes in the tournament?"

"That's right," he said proudly.

"You really are an idiot aren't you?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Prizes?" Minato asked.

Yume nodded. "That's right; there are a total of eight prizes that will be awarded to the top eight finishers in the tournament." Currently she had her heeled shoes off and her feet were soaking in a small stream they'd run across. As soon as she'd seen it she'd wanted to dip her feet in it. She'd been a little worried that it might seem childish, but Minato had removed his shoes, rolled up his trousers, and had put his feet in the water too. Relaxing by the stream she had begun telling him about the S-Tournament.

"So there are going to be eight winners?"

"Yes that's right," Yume confirmed. "Didn't you know that? Information about the S-Tournament was made public a year ago."

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly. "My mom never talked about it and I never really bothered to find out. So what are the prizes?"

"Well there is a grand prize for the Tournament champion and cash prizes for the seven runner ups. 8th place, seventh runner up gets one billion yen (about $10,000,000.) and 1% ownership of MBI."

He gawked at her, sure he must have heard wrong. "Did you say _billion_, with a 'B'?"

She nodded. "That's right."

"And that's for _eighth _place?"

"Yes," Yume stated. "Seventh place receives two billion yen and 2% of MBI, sixth gets three billion and 3% all the way to second place which receives seven billion and 7% of MBI."

Minato shook his head. Those prizes were ridiculous amounts of cash, any of them would leave you rich for life and ready to retire. "What is the grand prize?"

"The grand prize is 51% ownership of MBI and control of everything it owns, including the space ship, all the technology, and all of the sekirei."

"All of the sekirei?"

"That's right Minato-kun," she told him. "We sekirei are considered property, just like the ship we arrived in. We belong to MBI, so whoever wins the S-Tournament will decide the fate of all the sekirei. That is the prize we will all fight for; the destiny of the sekirei race."


	4. The rules

Kazehana was sitting atop the clock tower of MBI looking out at the vast crowd that still surrounded them even though it was now well past one o'clock. She had an oversized bottle of rice wine in her hand and took a healthy swig.

"If Miya catches you with that you'll get in trouble." Number 2 popped her head out and joined her friend.

"I'm not on duty right now so it should be okay," Kazehana said. They were both in their black Disciplinary Squad uniforms.

Matsu glanced out at the sky. "Pretty interesting idea for getting sekirei to meet with you."

Kazehana looked in the same direction and nodded. "I wonder how many will actually accept."

Out beyond MBI Tower were six blimps floating about in a wide circle. On their sides were electric lights that cycled through the same message ever 60 seconds:

'All sekirei are invited to a welcoming celebration where the pop idol Kirari will be performing live! Free food! Free drinks! Gifts! All sekirei welcome!'

Directions then followed.

"He'll probably get a bunch," Matsu guessed. "I mean why not? What else do most of them have to do today?"

"He must be pretty rich," Kazehana said. "I mean Kirari is Japan's number one idol right now. Hiring her for a private performance and hiring six blimps can't be cheap. I wonder what sort of person he is."

XXXXXXXXXX

At his mansion Hayato Mikogami sneezed.

XXXXXXXXXX

"He's probably some boring rich industrialist who just wants to be surrounded by beautiful alien women." Matsu predicted. "Still… it might be fun, want to go?"

"I'll pass," Kazehana said. "It doesn't interest me." She turned to her teammate with a curious look in her eyes. "Actually what interests me is that young man who winged number 8. Is he really Takami's son?"

Matsu nodded and rattled off his personal data from memory. "Name Sahashi Minato, age 19, blood type O, graduated from High School ranked ninth nationally in scholastics. Currently enrolled as a second year engineering student at Tokyo University. Current GPA is 4.0. Only known hobby is reading. Family members include mother, younger sister, and maternal grandmother, father is unknown."

"But we all have a pretty good guess given that handsome face." Kazehana's cheeks colored a tad and she sighed wistfully.

Seeing this reaction Matsu began to giggle like a perverted old man. "Ku, ku, ku sounds like someone has decided to experiment with the younger generation."

"Maybe I have," Kazehana said sounding a bit defensive. "A girl can only wait so long for her feelings to be returned before her heart moves on."

"You're not moving real far Kazehana," Matsu noted. "Sort of like going from the tree to the apple. You _do _know that Takami won't be happy if you show any interest in her son."

Kazehana smiled evilly. "Yes, I know that. Let's just call that a bonus."

XXXXXXXXXX

"That's insane!" Minato said angrily. "You're a person how can someone own you?!"

She shrugged, taking the issue far more calmly then he was. "We are not human, so all the laws that apply to human beings do not apply to us. A law was passed in the Japanese Diet specifically stating that. As far as the law is concerned we are domesticated animals, like cats of dogs or turtles."

"You're not a pet you're a person!"

She laughed. "Well I'm very glad to know you think so, unfortunately MBI and the government don't agree with you." She leaned back and splashed her feet in the water a bit. "MBI used their money and influence with the government to push that law through. From their point it was necessary, they absolutely _can't _have us seen as people. Otherwise their plans would fall apart."

"How do you mean?" Minato asked. "What difference would it make?"

"If we had the rights of ordinary citizens then we could all sue MBI for unlawful imprisonment, child abuse, torture, unnecessary surgery, and a lot more besides. Also we'd all be free to go our own way. I'm sure _some _sekirei would still join the Tournament, but most would probably just walk away. Minaka has devoted the last twenty years of his life to this. He wants to put on a grand contest for the entire world to see using all the sekirei. He wants to be the ring master directing each of us to play our part. So long as he gets to do that I don't think he cares what happens afterwards. That's why he'd willing to just hand over MBI as the final prize. Putting on this show is all he cares about."

"But what happens if whoever wins the grand prize decides to try and take you away from me?" It surprised him just how much that thought scared him. In this short time he had completely fallen for Yume, he didn't want to be with anyone but her. He saw his concerns mirrored in her face, and even imagined he could feel her sorrow.

"Then I would have to go," she said in a small voice.

"You would leave me?"

She took his hand and held it in hers. "If you told me to stay I would stay. I would remain at your side forever. But if I disobeyed they would send the Disciplinary Squad after me to force me to obey. Either that or they would simply terminate me."

"Terminate you?" He whispered. "But that would be murder."

"No," she said calmly. "Only humans can be murdered."

Minato was not stupid. He could see the plain logic of what she was saying and the horrible truth that lay behind it. If the law did not recognize her as a person then killing her was not a felony, it would be at worse a misdemeanor. Just the same as if you had deliberately run over someone's dog.

He reached out and took her other hand. "If it comes to that then we can run away. If we have to we can leave Japan and go somewhere it will be safe."

She smiled gently and lowered her eyes. "It makes me very happy to hear you say that. It makes me happy to know that you would do that for me, but it would be useless. There is a weapon called the 'god vessel' that was found aboard our ship in eight pieces. It is made specifically to kill sekirei. It could be used to kill all sekirei on the planet, or any one particular sekirei no matter where she was on the planet. So you see…"

"If they really want they could kill you no matter what you did." The words tasted like ashes in his mouth.

She merely nodded.

"Well then I guess there's only one thing to do," Minato said coming to a decision. "We'll have to win the S-Tournament."

She looked at him startled.

"That's the only way I can make sure we are never parted, the only way I can really protect you. We'll win the S-Tournament, destroy this weapon, and set all the sekirei free." He said with conviction.

Hearing him say that with such determination filled her heart with warmth almost like when he kissed her. She understood his feelings; she could see that his only concern was in protecting her. It wasn't for the money or the power the grand prize would bring, it was just to protect her.

"Yes," she said tenderly and pressed both his hands to her breasts. "Let's win the tournament and always be together Minato-kun. Let's protect all the others as well."

He could feel her soft breasts beneath his hands. "It's… it's a promise then, we'll win this tournament no matter."

"Yes Minato-kun, a promise."

He was staring at where his hands were and having difficulty thinking.

"Er, Yume-chan?"

"Yes?"

"What exactly are the rules for the S-Tournament?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Why do we have to go over the rules again?" Hibiki complained. "We already know them."

"More importantly what did you do to poor Seo?" Hikari demanded. While she, her twin, Akizu, and Homura were in the kitchen with Takehito. Poor Seo was lying in his room almost catatonic.

"I didn't do anything," Takehito said innocently. "I just had a little talk with him, that's all."

Hikari opened her mouth to argue when Homura placed a hand on her arm. "Please don't make Takehito–san angry," Homura said. "You wouldn't like him when he's angry."

Akizu nodded her head vehemently. "He's our tuner and we know he cares about us, but he can be _really _scary sometimes."

Seeing how serious the two single numbers were Hikari decided to reign in her usually sharp tongue. "Fine," she said.

"Well, now that that's settled we'll go over the rules again." Takehito said. "All of you take out your MBI cards and your diaries."

Obediently they did so. Each of them produced black plastic cards with the letters MBI stamped in gold. Homura, Akizu, and Hibiki also took out slim hand held devices that were half an inch thick and four inches by 2 ½. The upper half was a monitor. Each displayed their location on a GPS map below a heading that stated their name followed by the message **0 POINTS. **The diary in Hibiki's hand displayed her name as well as her sister's.

"Our tuner only gave us one," Hibiki said worried.

"That's fine," Takehito assured her. "Because of your unique natures the two of you will be considered a single, 'contestant' for the purpose of the tournament."

"That's not fair!" Hikari said, already forgetting about Homura's and Akizu's warning. "Why aren't we allowed to each compete separately?"

"That was done for your own benefit," Takehito told her. "If you're not in physical contact with one another your abilities only work at half strength. Also, if you made it far along in the tournament you would be forced to fight each other. Is that what you prefer? I would think being allowed to fight as a pair a pretty big advantage myself. You can bet the sekirei you face will definitely complain."

Hikari looked over at her sister. "I guess I don't mind fighting as a pair," Hikari said. Hibiki quickly nodded.

"Glad to hear it," Takehito said. "Except for one other pairing all the sekirei in the S-Tournament will fight alone. The matches in Phase one and two will all be one to one."

"There's another pair fighting as a single competitor?" Hibiki sounded surprised. "I thought my sister and I were the only twins."

"You are." Takehito informed her. "Because they are both not fully matured yet it was decided to allow 107 and 108 to also compete as a pair."

"Heh, I guess it doesn't matter." Hikari said. "They're both just kids they won't be any threat to us." Rubbing her chin she smiled. "In fact they should both be easy marks."

"You're actually pretty eager for this aren't you?" Homura questioned.

"Of course! Seo's promised that as soon as we win one of the prizes he'll buy us a huge mansion filled with servants and we'll be able to get anything we want." Hikari's eyes were blazing.

"An easy pleasant like with Seo," Hibiki said with a dreamy grin.

"You obviously haven't lived with him yet," Takehito muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Hikari asked.

"Nothing, nothing, now moving on, you each have your debit cards from MBI. You will each have 1 million yen on your personal account (about $10,000) and are free to spend that money however you like. Once it's gone though it's gone, none of you will receive any more financial support from MBI until or unless you win one of the prizes."

"That seems kind of cheap," Hikari complained. "As rich as MBI is why don't they give us more."

"It's all a part of the challenge of the tournament. The S-Tournament will run for a number of months. Each sekirei, whether they advance or not, will have to find a way to survive here in Tokyo until its conclusion. They may try to make the money last until the end, get a job, ask for charity, or rely on their ashikabis to provide for them."

XXXXXXXXXX

On a temporary stage the pink haired teen idol Kirari was jumping about as she sang her number one hit, 'Love Lucky' to an audience of about forty. The stage had been set up in the courtyard of a vast mansion that was surrounded by an eight foot high wall. Outside the main gate was a mass of not only reporters with cameras but fans of both sekirei and the pop star desperate to get inside. A large number of security guards patrolled the wall making sure none of them disturbed the guests.

Inside a number of sekirei were standing in front of the pop idol singing along or dancing to the music. (Many had seen her on TV and were fans.) Some were enjoying the gourmet food that was made especially for them. While about a dozen were gathered around their host, a cute looking 15 year old named Mikogami. Sitting closest to him were numbers 43 and 38.

"So your parents died when you were little and you've been all alone since?" Number 38 Mitsuha asked. She was a blonde in a yellow and gold outfit. "That's so sad!"

"Oh it's not so bad," he said waving off her sympathy. "My parents were super rich and left everything to me. I get to spend all my time playing with all sorts of toys."

"Is that what we are?" Number 43 Yomi leaned in teasing him. "Toys for you to play with?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation. "You sekirei are like the worlds' greatest action figures come to life!"

The women surrounding him all laughed.

Mitsuha was fingering the gold necklace that was around her neck while Yomi had a pair of diamond earrings. All the sekirei who had come here today had been given jewelry worth more that the million yen on their debit cards. And they were all free to keep the gifts no matter what.

"So what would you do with us if we belonged to you?" Mitsuha leaned in deliberately showing off her cleavage.

"I'd play with all of you to my heart's content," he said producing another round of laughter from them. "And I'd use you to win the grand prize. Then not only would I have my very own spaceship but I could play with _all _the sekirei since you would all belong to me."

"And would we get to live in your mansion, and have you buy us all sorts of nice things?" Yomi asked as she sipped some champagne.

Mikogami nodded. "Sure, if you're mine I'll take really good care of you."

"That sounds like a good deal," Mitsuha said and leaned in. She kissed him and wings of light appeared. "Please take good care of me, now and forever."

Yomi kissed him next, followed by a number of others who were happy to have an ashikabi who would take care of all their material worries.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Besides Hikari and Hibiki and numbers 107 and 108, are ashikabi allowed to have multiple sekirei?' Homura asked.

"Well, there's nothing in the rules against it, so I would say yes." Takehito answered. "It would make sense for an ashikabi to want as many sekirei as possible. It would certainly improve his chances of winning prizes if he could get multiple sekirei into the second phase. And of course if you have multiple sekirei the rules are set up to allow you to pretty much rig the game and get half your sekirei through to phase two."

Homura thought about it, and nodded. "I hadn't thought of that, but yes it's true."

"Wait, how could you guarantee getting half your sekirei to the second phase?" Akizu asked. "It's all based on points from winning matches isn't it?"

"Exactly," Takehito said. "Which is why you could definitely get half of them through.

Akizu frowned. "I still don't get it."

"You would just make one sekirei forfeit all the matches to another," Homura said. "That way one of them is guaranteed to have the maximum possible points and automatically advance."

Akizu's eyes widened. "Wait! You'd have sekirei deliberately throw their matches? That's against the rules!"

"Actually it's not," Takehito noted. "The only rules about the matches are one; they must reach a decision, there has to be a winner and a loser. Two; ashikabis may not be deliberately attacked. And three; during phases one and two they must be one to one matches. There's no rule about rigging who will win and lose beforehand."

"Oh," Akizu said. "I guess not, I'm surprised though."

"The rules will change beginning with phase three," Takehito said. "But during the first and second you could force half your sekirei though to the next round, just so long as you are prepared to sacrifice the other half, since they will likely have zero points."

"That seems a cowardly way to do things," Hikari said.

"Well, if you have four sekirei and two of them seem really weak it's not a bad strategy. I mean think about it." He took the diary from Hibiki and held it up.

"For the next thirty days of the opening phase you are free to challenge and fight other sekirei, but the matches will not activate or be recorded in your diaries. Also you can't force a sekirei to accept a challenge so these fights would have to be voluntary. Other than not harming an ashikabi you are pretty much free to fight to your heart's content. Since MBI took over the capital last year everyone living here or entering Tokyo has been forced to sign a release form freeing MBI was liability from any damage or loss of life resulting from the matches. Tokyo is your battleground, and while none of you can leave the city you will not get in any trouble for any damage you cause during matches."

They all nodded. None of them had any concerns about leaving the city. Even though they could be forced into unwanted matches there was no real danger.

On the diaries were two round buttons located between the screen and mini keyboard. One green one red, the green was the **challenge** button, the red the **submission** button. Phase one would last for 90 days, when it began their diaries would become active. Sekireis were all required to have their diaries on them at all times when outside of their residences. Matches would only be recognized by MBI and points awarded if the diaries were used.

During phase one each sekirei could fight a maximum of one match per day. Thus they could fight a total of 90 matches. Victory in a match during phase one was worth 5 points, so the maximum number of points possible were 450. A sekirei could initiate a match simply by pressing the green challenge button on the diary. When that was done the diary instantly sent out a match challenge to the _next physically closest _available diary. A sekirei that had already had a match that day could not be challenged again. Also it was possible for a sekirei to see a would be challenger, press the green button, and only then realize there was _another_ sekirei closer to them. Thus it would be part of the tournament's strategy to decide how close to get to the other sekirei before challenging. While potential opponents might be able to bluff their way out of a match by claiming to have already fought that day.

Once the challenge was issued and an opponent found both diaries would sound an alarm to alert their sekirei they were in a match. The screen on the diary would name the opponent and also give their GPS location relative to the diary. (The diary would not reveal the location of other diaries until the challenge button was pressed. Thus it could not be used to track or scout potential opponents.) Battle could commence the instant the challenge was issued. Ambushes and sneak attacks were permissible just so long as the challenge button was pressed first. Once the fight began there had to be a winner. The winner of the match was whoever did _not _have their red submission button pressed. In other words you lost when your red button was pressed. If a sekirei was weak or injured or out matched they could immediately press the submission button and end the match. (Thus no sekirei actually had to fight so long as they were willing to forfeit.) If during the battle a sekirei was able to get to and press their opponent's red button that would also end the match. Alternately they could beat their opponent unconscious and then press their submission button.

A less brutal method was to speak your norito while touching the foe's crest. This would turn the crest from red to blue and render the sekirei still conscious but paralyzed for about thirty minutes. After this time the crest would return to normal and the sekirei would be unharmed.

As soon as the submission button was pressed the match was ended and the winner was awarded 5 points. No points were deducted for losing. If for whatever reason no winner was declared by the end of the day, midnight, each participant would lose 5 points.

If an ashikabi was present the sekirei could receive a kiss from them and activate their power boost norito. They were also free to kiss first and then press the challenge button. If an ashikabi was on the field during a match they could be _touched_ by the enemy sekirei but not deliberately harmed. Harming an ashikabi would result in a 20 point penalty. Deliberately killing one resulted in termination.

Civilian injuries and deaths were to be avoided as much as possible, but would have no effect on the tournament.

Sekirei were not required to have a match each day, if they did not receive a challenge and chose not to press their green button (the big shiny candy like button) they did not have a match. However the one match limit remained in place. Thus if a sekirei had no matches for two days they could not have two or three matches on another day to make up for it. The opportunity was simply lost.

The diaries would not only keep track of the sekirei's status and point total but would keep a record of all matches fought and all standings. So that a sekirei could use the diary to see if they were in position to pass phase one or to see which sekirei had more or less points.

At the end of 90 days the 50 sekirei with the most points went forward to phase two. The other sekirei and their ashikabis were eliminated from the S-Tournament. Nothing would happen to them (at least until someone had the Grand Prize.) Their diaries would simply be deactivated and they would no longer be permitted to participate in the tournament.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So that covers everything," Yume said. "At least up until phase two. Do you have any questions?"

"No, I'll have to keep all that in mind." He stretched his back a bit and took his feet out of the water. "Uhm, I haven't asked, but do you have a place to stay?"

"I do, but would you like me to stay with you instead?"

"With me?"

"That's right," she said. "Since you're my ashikabi now I want us to stay together. I can come stay with you or you can come stay with me."

Minato thought about it. "Well I have a little two bedroom I share with a roommate. It might be a little crowded with three of us and it might be sort of weird for you living with two guys."

"My tuner and my lab techs were all male," she said. "And so was one of my close sekirei friends. So long as I am living with you I will be happy."

"Okay then, let's go to my place for now."


	5. The love I feel

The apartment building where Minato lived was located about a mile and half from the Toudai campus right by a metro stop. It was a working class neighborhood filled with older brick buildings and small local shops and restaurants. Because of its location and reasonable rents there were many students who lived there.

"I should warn you that since it's a place where two men live it's a little sloppy," Minato apologized as they approached his apartment door. "I would have cleaned up except, heh; I didn't know I'd be bringing a girl over today."

Yume gave him arm a squeeze, accidentally (or not) pressing her breast up against it. "Please don't worry Minato-kun. I am sure it will be fine. As long as I get to live with you it will be fine."

_I wonder what my mom will say about that, _he wondered. He'd already received a dozen calls from her with just as many voice mails demanded he contact her. He hadn't responded yet and wanted to put that off for as long as he could. Knowing her it wouldn't be for very long.

"You won't just be living with me," he told her. "Kenji is a fellow engineering student and a pretty good guy. We don't really go out much, so we spend most of our time either home or at school." He chuckled softly. "Actually I don't think he's been on a date since he came here so he has even less of a social life than I do. He's seriously not going to believe that you'll be living with us. He also won't believe you're a sekirei."

"Why not?" Yume asked honestly curious.

"Well, you're like a living breathing fantasy to most guys. It would be exactly like me suddenly coming home with a pop idol or a lingerie model. Things like that just don't happen in real life."

"But they did," she pointed out with a smile.

Her smile made his heart beat faster. "Yeah they did, and **I'm **still finding it hard to believe so I know he won't." Taking out his key he unlocked the door and opened it.

"**Surprise!!"** A loud shout greeted them.

"Wah!" A startled Minato jumped back.

Inside his small apartment were at least thirty people, most of whom he didn't recognize. There was a banner hanging from the ceiling with little flying saucers drawn around the words:

'Welcome Yume! We come in peace!'

Before he knew it some people grabbed Yume and dragged her into the apartment introducing themselves and handing her a drink. She was soon surrounded while Minato was left standing in the doorway with his mouth hanging open.

"You know Minato you really are one lucky bastard," a guy in a grey sweat shirt and jeans came up to him and handed him a plastic cup filled with beer. "Here."

"Kenji! What's going on here?" Minato demanded as he took the beer.

"What does it look like? It's a welcome home party for your new alien woman. People were knocking on my door wanting to meet her and so…" He waved his hand at the crowd.

"But how did you know about her? I didn't tell you. Did my mom call you or something?"

His roommate and friend gave him a look that silently screamed, 'you're an idiot.' "You're kidding right? The sekirei release was being broadcast live on every channel and across the world. _Everybody _saw her kiss you. So basically the whole world knows about it."

"The whole world?" He asked weakly.

"Pardon me! Are you Sahashi Minato? Could we have an interview?" He looked down the hall and recognized a reporter from a local TV station being accompanied by a cameraman.

XXXXXXXXXX

He had never hosted a party before. Back when he was living at home he would never have dared even though his mom was away a lot of the time. Since coming to school it had never occurred to him. He had always imagined it would be fun though. He saw himself playing the host going around making sure everyone was having a good time and being the life of the party. Now though he was just standing in one corner more or less forgotten as he slowly drank himself into oblivion.

His apartment was filled with people he didn't know and they were all surrounding Yume. He hadn't gotten a chance to spend even one minute with her since returning. He could see she was enjoying the attention, especially from all the older students who were clinging to her. She answered all their questions with a happy smile and laughed at their jokes while holding a cup of beer in her hands.

The one who had actually gotten to spend the most time with her since their arrival was a tall good looking senior named Shigero. He was very well known being the son of one of Japan's richest families. He was confident, intelligent, and rich; everything a girl could possibly want. He had a well earned reputation for being a lady's man and had not left Yume's side for even a minute.

Neither he nor Kenji ran in his exalted circle and didn't even know anyone who knew someone who knew him. Yet somehow here he was in his apartment talking to Yume as though they were old friends.

_What should I expect? Yume's more beautiful than a model and she's a sekirei too. Any guy would be desperate to be with her. _As he watched Shigero said something that made Yume and everyone else laugh.

_Why did she pick me? Was it really fate or was it just dumb luck that I met her first? _He had to wonder that if she had gotten to meet more people if she still would have chosen him.

Suddenly feeling a desperate need for some fresh air he finished the beer in his hand and headed out.

No one noticed.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was a warm spring evening and he'd had enough alcohol to keep him warmer still. He was just walking down the street with no particular destination in mind. He wondered if this was how it would be from now on. When Yume had been explaining the rules of the S-Tournament to him she had also explained about wingings, noritos, and ashikabi too. She was his sekirei and he was her ashikabi, nothing would ever change that. She could be winged once only and so the bond they shared was a permanent one.

But simply because they shared a special relationship didn't mean she might not become interested in another guy. Shigero was clearly interested in her and it looked like she really liked him as well. If something developed he would not stand in her way.

He knew he was already in love with her. He knew she'd _thought _she was in love with him, that they were fated to be together. But really was that fate or just a lack of options? She'd never been around anyone other than her fellow sekirei and the MBI staff who had taken care of her. He was the very first person she'd ever met from outside that sheltered world, and within minutes he had asked her to go out with him and somehow gotten her to become his based just in that. Just what sort of connection was that?

What scared him was the thought that she would figure out just how ordinary he really was. Yes, he was intelligent, there were no dummies studying engineering at Toudai. But in pretty much every other way he was the definition of average. When she finally figured that out would she regret her hasty decision? It couldn't be undone now. Would she end up resenting him and wishing she could have gotten someone better for an ashikabi?

"Minato-kun! Minato-kun!" He heard his name being shouted from the rooftops. He looked up to see Yume leaping down from a nearby building. She landed right at his side and swiftly embraced him. "Minato-kun! Why did you leave like that? You just left and I didn't know where you were!" Her voice caught with worry. "Why did you go?"

"Heh," he rubbed the back of his head and offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I just wanted to get some air and you seemed to be enjoying yourself so I didn't think you would care."

"Why would you think that?" She sounded genuinely hurt. "You are my precious ashikabi; _of course _I would care if you suddenly left."

He could see she was really upset. He slid his arms around her. "Sorry, I'm sorry Yume." He mumbled. _Hugging her feels so great._

"Please do not just leave without telling me where you are going, it scares me if I don't know where you are."

"I'm sorry Yume, I promise it won't happen again." He squeezed just a bit more and felt her respond. Her soft body was pressing against him, so warm and inviting.

"Minato-kun, are you close friends with that man Shigeru?"

Gulping he shook his head. He could guess what was coming next. He would bet his life Shigeru had asked her out and she wanted to make sure he was okay with her going on a date with him. "No," he answered trying to not sound hurt or jealous. "I really don't know him at all, why?"

"He asked me if I would have dinner with him tomorrow, he said he would take me to some exclusive restaurant and show me Tokyo."

"I… I see," he plastered on a fake smile and pretended not to care. "Well that was nice of him. Naturally I won't stand in your way."

Her head snapped up with a confused look. "What do you mean Minato-kun?'

Taking a deep breath he spoke in a calm reassuring tone, which was a challenge after all the beer he'd had. "I mean that if you like him and would like to spend some time with him it's all right. I won't get jealous or try to stop you."

"Minato-kun what a horrible thing to say!" She pulled away from him and crossed her arms as she gave him a hard look. "Do you not love me?"

"What?"

"Do you not love me at all?" She asked him in a wounded voice. "I love you so much Minato-kun! You are the only one who I want to have my dinners with, the one I want to show me this city. I told Shigeru that and he seemed to think that I should forget about you and get to know him instead."

He stared at her in silence.

"He doesn't understand what it means that I am you sekirei now."

"What… what does it mean?" Minato asked quietly. "Yume, we'd barely met before you agreed to become mine. What," he looked down at the ground. "What if you decide I'm not the right one for you?"

"That would be impossible Minato-kun," she said without a trace of doubt.

"But you've only just left the Tower and haven't met that many people yet. What if you meet someone better than me?"

Yume shook her head. "No one could be better for me Minato-kun; you are the only one I love, now and forever."

"But…"

She took his hand and gently pressed it to her breast. "Minato-kun, are you really afraid that my choosing you was a mistake?"

He swallowed and nodded his head.

"You don't need to worry Minato-kun, my feelings won't change. I love you and I always will."

"How can you be sure of that?" He asked her.

"Because the moment we met my body reacted to you. For a sekirei our bodies feel a physical reaction when we are with the person who is the best possible match for us. We feel heat and our heart beats pick up. For a sekirei, 'love' results in a chemical response. That is how I knew so quickly that you were the one, my body knew even before I did. I love you Minato-kun, in a sense I was born to love you." She looked at him nervously. "Do you have doubts about your love for me?"

Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was just the scared look in her eyes. He answered her by grabbing her around her hips and yanking her back against him and hungrily kissed her mouth. People walking along the street gasped and called out at the sight of her wings of light.

"No, I don't have any doubts about how much I love you." He then kissed her again giving her no chance to say anything.

They both ignored the people on the street and their commotion as they stood there kissing.

XXXXXXXXXX

Yet again Yume had wound up carrying him through Tokyo bridal style as she dashed over rooftops and streets.

"Are you sure this will be all right?" Minato asked as she set him down in front of a quaint two story building in the northern part of Tokyo. After they'd drawn a couple news crews Minato had suggested leaving, but had mentioned not wanting to go back to his apartment.

"I am sure it is fine Minato-kun," Yume assured him. "My tuner invited me and the other sekirei he worked with to come live with him here. He also told us that our ashikabi could stay with us too."

"So I did," the front door of the building opened and a man in a white lab coat and a whole lot of unruly hair stepped out onto the porch. "I was starting to wonder if you'd be coming by today." He nodded to her and to Minato. "You are both welcome here. Welcome to the Izumo Inn."


	6. 8952431

"Since it was getting so late I was wondering if you'd be coming by," Takehito told them as he put out food for them. "Since I was hoping to see you I made some extra food."

"Thank you Takehito-san!" Yume said gratefully. "We've both been so busy today we completely forgot to eat!"

"Really?" Takehito said pleasantly and looked at Minato. "And yet you reek of alcohol. Just _what _have you been doing all day?"

"Ah, my roommate sort of threw a welcoming party for us," Minato said weakly. He felt as though he was facing a suspicious dad.

"I see, so you had time to drink but not to eat," Takehito shook his head in mild rebuke. "Whenever Takami would talk about you she would make it sound like you were a very mature and responsible young man. Weak and indecisive, but responsible."

"Er, thanks?"

Yume reached out and possessively took his arm. "Minato-kun is a wonderful ashikabi! Please do not think badly of him Takehito-san."

Her devotion to him was only too obvious. _She has been winged; of course she'll feel a strong attachment to him. _He let out a long sigh "Yes I am sure he is." He looked at Minato. "I know your mother very well, and while she is not always the easiest person in the world to get along with I have nothing but respect for her. I'm sure a son of hers couldn't be anything other than a good man."

"Thank you Takehito-san," Minato said in relief.

"Of course," a hannyo mask appeared above his shoulder as he continued in a pleasant way. "If it turns out you're only interested in using her I have a great many torture techniques at my disposal and my room happens to be soundproof."

"Eek!" Yume, sekirei number 8, ducked behind Minato trembling.

"I… I promise I would never treat Yume-chan like that. I really love her and only want to protect her." He said trying not to look away.

"Well that's good," Takehito replied and the hannyo mask vanished. "Just so long as that's the case I'm sure we'll get along fine." He slowly got to his feet. "Your room is upstairs, number 203. The room numbers are pretty clear so I don't imagine you can miss it. When you get done go ahead and turn in, the bathroom is at the end of the hall." He took another deep breath. "Given your new relationship I won't ask what you do in your room. But no indecent behavior in public and _definitely _no such behavior in the common bath." _Damn it Seo! You really are scum!_

Minato turned a deep red. "I… I… would never…"

"Don't say anything more Minato," Takehito told him. "I wouldn't want you making any promises you couldn't keep. Good night."

XXXXXXXXXX

Takehito's room was at the end of the hall on the second floor. He'd actually gotten Seo to build a 'secret' door for him that made it look like part of the wall. Within his room were a great many computers and monitors. He had also put hidden cameras and listening devices in every room of the Inn. _But I won't use them unless there's some sort of emergency. _Even though he'd had unlimited access to his test subjects their entire lives he'd promised himself that he would stop monitoring them now that they were finally free.

Of course he had **not **removed any of the hidden cameras or microphones.

He had assigned Homura and Akizu to rooms on the first floor while Hikari and Hibiki had moved in with Seo in room 201.

"Ohhhhh! Seeeeeeeeoooo!!" He heard a woman moan as he walked past their room.

Hurrying to his soundproof room he reminded himself that they were all adults and he really needed to treat them as adults.

XXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile in a large estate on the edge of Tokyo…

The front door opened and slammed shut. "I'm home!" A loud voice called as she hurried towards the stairs hoping she could make it to her room.

"Tsukiumi! Come in here please."

The blonde sekirei froze with a hand reaching for the stairwell.

"Now Tsukiumi," the voice insisted.

"Coming," she said in a defeated tone and dragged herself towards the room in the large western style house she hated the most. As was usually the case the door to Miyajima's study was wide open. For someone who owned her own multinational corporation as well as 20% of MBI she was surprisingly lax and carefree about things. Tsukiumi stopped right at the door and announced herself. "I'm here." Looking inside she saw a tea kettle sitting out along with two cups and saucers. _Oh no, _she thought dismally.

Sitting in a big comfy chair was Professor, CEO, Noble prize winner, and doctor Miyajima. She was in her mid 70's but looked like a woman in her late 30's or early 40's. She had long dark black hair with only a couple of streaks of grey in it. Her face was still attractive and without any visible wrinkles. (She was a geneticist and had not been afraid to use herself as a test subject over the years.) Her eyes were a bright green and sharp, her mind was still as brilliant as it had been when she'd graduated from the University of California at Berkley back in 1968.

Yes, she was an honest to goodness hippie.

She had been working on her laptop but set it aside as soon as Tsukiumi arrived. "So, how did it go?" She asked eagerly and waved to the seat across from her.

Dragging her feet Tsukiumi reluctantly entered the room and dropped into the over padded love seat. "It went fine."

"Can you be just a little more descriptive?" Miyajima asked and began filling the tea cup in front of Tsukiumi. Also without bothering to ask she placed two sugar cubes in it and stirred it for her.

"I showed up at six a.m. and they stuffed me in some lab. I waited. Then at 11:30 they snuck me and all the others to some big conference room. I waited some more. Then when it was noon they opened the door and I left as quickly as I could. That was it." She picked up the cup and drank the still hot tea. It was exactly the way she liked it.

"Did you get to talk to any of your fellow sekirei?"

"No."

"Why not?" Miyajima asked and sipped her own tea. "You could have made some friends."

Tsukiumi sat back and sullenly crossed her arms over her chest. "As if I would need friends! All other sekirei are my rivals! I intend to prove that I am the strongest and beat every one of them!"

Chuckling Miyajima shook her head. "You've always been very competitive; I don't know where you get that from."

"I just want to prove I'm the best!"

Miyajima gave her a wide teasing smile. "Did you spend all day looking for your ashikabi?"

"Of course not!" Tsukiumi shouted. "Why would I waste my time looking for some damn monkey?!"

"Oh, I can think of ten or twenty things you could do with him right off the top of my head," she said with a teasing lilt.

Tsukiumi instantly turned a deep red. "Please don't start that disgusting talk of yours!"

"There is nothing disgusting about free love or exploring your own sensuality, why I remember a time at a Jefferson Airplane concert…"

"No!" Tsukiumi howled. "Not the revolting story about going backstage again!"

"Hey! It was one of the best memories of my college days. There were three security guards who wouldn't let me in unless I agreed to…"

"Noooooo!" She wailed and put her hands over her ears. "I don't want to hear about it!"

Miyajima sighed and shook her head. "You know honestly Tsukiumi when are you going to realize that being an adult woman in control of her own body is a wonderful and liberating thing? If you would just open your mind a little and find a good man or woman you'd realize just how wonderful sex can be."

"As if I'd ever do that! I'll never let anyone violate like that!"

"Are you sure? It can be a whole lot of fun. I remember the night before Woodstock opened. Me and my roommate Sandy had to share a single bed with these four guys from NYU. One thing led to another and before you know it I was…"

"I don't want to hear this story again either!"

"But it was one of the best memories of my youth," she said with a pout.

"You have way too many memories and way too much youth!"

That only set Miyajima laughing while making Tsukiumi furious and even more determined not to find her ashikabi.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mutsu was getting ready for bed when there was a sudden knock on his door. _Right on time_, he thought as he got up to open it.

Matsu rushed in and shut the door. She had on her glasses, a white robe, and some slippers. Mutsu was sure she had on nothing else. "I don't think Miya saw me," she said in relief.

He rolled his eyes. "You worry too much."

"But you know how she is!" Matsu complained. She straightened up and began shaking a finger as she spoke with a blank expression plastered on her face. "'Improper relations between members of the squad will not be tolerated.'" She gave him an angry look. "Why am I always the one who has to sneak over to your room? Why don't you pay me a visit instead?"

He shrugged. "Because I know you're so desperate to, 'experiment' that you're always willing to."

"That's mean Mutsu-kun!" She pouted and planted her hands on her hips. "Don't pretend you don't like to experiment too!"

Grinning he reached out and undid her robe, revealing that she did indeed have nothing else on. "I never said I didn't."

Matsu's momentary anger with him was forgotten as they eagerly began kissing and moving over to his bed. Neither of them could wing the other or form that once in a lifetime bond that existed only between sekirei and ashikabi.

Which didn't mean what they were doing wasn't damn good anyway.

XXXXXXXXXX

In her room Karasuba was carefully inspecting a rare early Edo era Kunikane katana. They were quite hard to find and this one had been expertly restored to almost mint condition. Someone who knew her fondness for swords had had it delivered to her by special messenger along with a mysterious letter of invitation.

Looking the invitation over she grinned silently. She really would have to go if only to thank the person who had sent her such a fine gift.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kazehana was once more atop the clock tower with a bottle of sake in her hand when a fellow Disciplinary squad member joined her.

"Even though you are not on duty public drunkenness is still a violation of the rules, you will get five demerits. You already have 45, five more and you spend a day in solitary confinement."

Kazehana turned her head to look at the stern form of number one standing behind her with an unhappy frown. "Don't you ever get tired of all these stupid rules Miya?"

"The rules exist for a reason number three; we need them to keep out behavior structured and avoid the anarchy you seem to relish."

Kazehana grinned at her and took a swig from her over sized bottle. "You could use a little anarchy. More to the point you should try and get laid some time, I bet it would do you a world of good."

A very rare blush covered Maya's face. "Five more demerits, you've just earned yourself a 24 hour stay in solitary confinement. Report to lab 4 and tell them."

"Fine," she finished off the last of eh rice wine and set the empty bottle down. "A whole day of sleep sounds good right now." With a playful grin on her lips she strolled past her leader. "Ja ne." She said with a laugh.

Maya stood her ground and watched her go without comment.


	7. Hiatus

Hello everyone. This is to inform all my readers that I am placing all my stories on hiatus until at **least** the end of the year. I am very sorry but I have no real choice. I am a senior accounting student at the University of South Florida and am gearing up for my finals and trying to graduate with my BA. After which I have lots of other things I need to deal with, not least of which is trying to find a good job in this economy.

I absolutely **love** writing. I love reading your reviews and messages, except when they smell of napalm of course. And while I write for myself please be assured I have always been amazed and honored to see so many people putting my stories on their favorites and alert lists. It has been a very great pleasure writing all these stories, and it has made me extremely happy to know how many of you honestly enjoyed what I wrote.

I thank you all.

But it's because I love writing so much that I have to stop for awhile. My writing has become my addiction and my keyboard my escape from the world's problems. So I need to walk away for awhile and put all my energies and time into real life problems.

I still plan on coming back as I love writing too much to ever stop for good and I don't want to leave my stories unfinished. This is not goodbye, just so long for now.

LOTLOF


	8. The reason for the meeting

After eating they had agreed to take a bath before turning in.

"Shall we bathe together?" Yume asked.

"Wha… what?"

She touched his arm and looked at him questioningly with those large brown eyes. "Do you not want to? I could scrub your back for you."

"I, ah, think we should take our baths separately," he replied weakly.

XXX

He had decided to let her go first. He then sat in the bath for a long while wondering what he was supposed to do next.

He was going to be sharing a room with an incredibly beautiful alien girl who had already proclaimed that she loved him and for whom he had already fallen. _Its been quite a day, _he thought as he soaked there. And there were even bigger things to worry about. In one month's time the opening round of the S Tournament would begin. They had already promised each other that they would win the grand prize and set all the sekirei free. Just how he was going to keep that promise he had no idea, but it was absolutely vital. He wanted Yume to be with him always. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her some day.

"How could any one say she's just property?" He wondered aloud. He knew there had been slavery but he's assumed that kind of thinking was relegated to the past. Certainly he would never have thought people in modern day Japan would accept such an idea. No matter whether or not Yume was human she was obviously a _person. To try and treat her like a dog or a horse was just sickening._

When he's finally got out of the tub he'd decided to talk with Takehito-san and try to get some advice. He supposed he could also have asked his mom but really wanted to put off talking to her for as long as possible.

He had left without a change of clothes so after the bath he dressed back into what he'd had on. As he approached room 203 the door was closed. He hesitated wondering whether or not he should knock. It was late and he thought she might be asleep. On the other hand he didn't feel comfortable walking in on her unannounced.

"Yume-chan?" He knocked softly. "Is it all right if I come in?"

"Of course Minato-kun, please enter."

He opened the door.

The light from the hall illuminated the darkened room. There was no furniture inside, only a futon with a single blanket. Kneeling on the edge of the mattress facing him was Yume. Her clothes had been neatly folded and left in a corner of the room. Her hands were resting on her thighs and she was looking up at him with a warm smile. She felt no embarrassment at being naked in front of him.

"Yume! Wha… what are you doing?" He quickly stepped inside and shut the door to make sure no one else saw her.

"I am waiting for you," she told him simply. "Shall we go to bed now?"

"I… but… we…" His brain was melting down. He couldn't take his eyes off her pale skin or the soft sensual curves of her body. "Why are you naked?" He blurted out when nothing else came to him.

Her smile was gentle and loving. When she answered him there was nothing teasing or mocking in her tone. "It seemed proper as this is our wedding night."

"Wedding night?" He gasped as the world seemed to spin. "But… but… we're not married."

Still unable to take his eyes off of her he watched her rise silently to her feet. "I have become your sekirei and you have become my ashikabi, for me that is the equivalent of being husband and wife. I want us to be together in all ways Minato-kun." She put her hands together in front of her. "I want us to be intimate, I want to be yours in all ways."

"But… but…" His heart was pounding and he could feel himself start to sweat.

Seeing his reaction her smile faded and she looked at him with worry. "Is something wrong Minato-kun? Do you not love me the way a husband should love his wife?"

Her hurt expression decided him. He would never do anything to hurt this girl. He tossed aside his worries and his doubts. She was more precious to him than the world and he was not going to hurt her.

"I love you." Three quick steps brought his to her and without thinking he was kissing her. Her wings and crest appeared and filled the room with pure bright light. "I really love you Yume-chan."

"And I love you," she answered in relief.

He laid her down on the futon and quickly removed his clothes. Together they shared their virtuous wedding night.

XXX

Homura woke up with a slight hangover and a full bladder. Before arriving at the Inn there had been a few stops at some bars and clubs. Being a sekirei there were free drinks at every stop. The first night of freedom had been a pleasant one, and despite Takehito's scary reception it had been a good time.

Getting up out of bed Homuro headed to the bathroom. Still half asleep the newly freed sekirei of fire reached down… only to find nothing there.

"Oh," she said dully. "I guess I'm a woman again."

XXX

When Homura went downstairs she was dressed in the same black pants and shirt she'd worn the other day when arriving. It seemed she was the first of the boarders to awake that morning. Takehito was already in the kitchen cooking breakfast for everyone. When he saw number nine enter he merely nodded to her. "Good morning Homura, I see you've transformed again. Would you mind stirring those eggs for me?" He nodded to a bowl on the kitchen counter.

Grunting she went over and complied. "You know Takehito-san this body really is a huge pain. Being a woman is fine, being a man is fine, but I really would like to stop changing every few days!"

"I know, I know," the researcher said sounding embarrassed. "I guess maybe I experimented with you a little too much."

"Oh? Really?" The pretty silver haired girl asked as she whipped up the eggs with a fork. "Why am I the only one who has to go through this?"

"You already know the answer to that Homura," Takehito replied with a shrug as he chopped onions. "Even among the sekirei your body is unique and highly unstable. Unfortunately my efforts to increase your abilities also enhanced this tendency. On the bright side though once you meet your ashikabi and are winged your form should stabilize... I think."

"You think?" Homura asked shrilly.

Takehito chuckled. "Well that's the wonderful thing about science! You never really know until you conduct the experiment."

"You know you enjoy being a scientist way too much," Homura told him flatly.

That made Takehito laugh and put him in a better mood.

XXX

"Where are you going?" Miyajima called after her.

"Out," Tsukumi answered in an annoyed huff. "Since the S Tournament is finally under way I want to go out and explore this city! It may be over run with monkeys but it's still better than being cooped up in here!"

Miyajima popped her head out of the kitchen and grinned at the blonde sekirei.

"What?" Tsukiumi snapped.

"Are you going to try and find your ashikabi today?" The old woman said teasingly.

"Of course not! How many times have I told you that I'll never let some damn monkey violate me!"

"You know you might enjoy it," Miyajima replied with naughty look in her eye. "I remember this one time I was studying late at the University library when these two biology majors came over and…"

"NOOOO! I don't want to hear this story!" Covering her ears she fled.

The adjuster laughed. "She really is just too easy."

XXX

Karasuba was off duty and so had decided to meet the mysterious individual who had sent her that rare katana as a gift.

She was at the exclusive café seated in a private room when a man in an impeccable white suit arrived.

"Yara, yara, at last the anonymous benefactor arrives." Karasuba gave him a polite nod but did not stand or offer her hand.

The man did not seem offended and gave her a bow. "I am most honored to finally meet you Karasuba-san. It is a distinct pleasure to meet one of the Disciplinary Squad."

"You're one of the very few to think so." She sounded amused. "We've slaughtered thousands of human soldiers and even the other sekirei don't really trust us since we're the enforcers of this little game."

"That only proves that they are ignorant of your true worth," the man replied.

Karasuba raised a curios eyebrow. "Well you certainly have good manners. Tell me your name and why you asked to meet with me."

"My name is Izumi Higa and I asked you to meet with me to see if you would like to become my sekirei."


	9. Promise

Karasuba put her head back. Her laughter had a nasty edge to it. "Is that what this was about? You're a rich fool it seems."

"I am being completely serious Karasuba-san." If her insulting tone offended him he gave no sign of it. With an immense dignity he sat down across from her. "I have already acquired three other sekirei and am seeking more. With those three however I can guarantee you a place in the third phase with the maximum of points. If I am able to acquire more sekirei they will be able to assist you in the later phases. You would undoubtedly have an excellent chance of claiming the Grand Prize."

She eyed him with just the tiniest hint of interest. "Well that's very nice, but as a member of the Disciplinary Squad I am not eligible to compete in the tournament."

"Technically that is not correct," Higa replied. "Minaka has stated more than once that, 'any of the one hundred and eight sekirei may win the tournament.' There is nothing in any of the rules that he has published that specifically states members of the Disciplinary Squad are forbidden to participate."

"You are serious," Karasuba said not bothering to hide her amusement.

"I am."

"Why should I care?" She leaned back in her seat grinning.

"Whoever wins the Grand Prize will have control not only over MBI but over the fate of every sekirei; including yourself."

"The only person who can give me orders is number one," she told him. "Even Minaka knows better that to try and order me around. Any human who thinks he can control me will die." She made a point of looking Higa directly in the eye. "Including you of course."

Higa remained coolly indifferent to her and folded his hands in front of his face. "Not every problem can be solved with your sword. Could you defeat all the other members of the Disciplinary Squad if they were ordered to take you down?"

Karasuba considered it. "No," she finally said. "I might be able to defeat Miya or the other three, but not all of them together."

Higa looked curious. "You don't seem to have any objection to the idea of fighting your teammates."

"Why would I?" She said with a grin. "They're the strongest, the idea of fighting them excites me. Especially the idea of trying to fight number one; she truly is a monster."

"If you were to win the Grand Prize you would be in a position to giver her orders," Higa pointed out.

"Well, I'll admit that does have a certain appeal to it. But there is no way I would ever let some weakling human gain control of me."

"I understand your reluctance Karasuba-san, you are after all one of the very strongest. I respect strength and can assure you I would not think to treat you as a servant. Rather think of our union as a partnership. By joining forced we would both benefit and gain what we most desire."

"A partnership? Yara, yara that does sound a little better, and it does show you have some idea of who you are dealing with." She looked him over, still grinning, still sounding amused by all of it. "What we most desire you say. Tell me little man what is it you think I desire."

"Your freedom, immeasurable wealth, and the control of all the sekirei. I actually have no interest in them beyond this tournament. Once you have won the Grand prize you can do whatever you want with them."

"Whatever I want with them," she repeated slowly. Drinking the words in. In her mind's eye she saw herself surrounded by corpses. Miya and her other teammates among them. She felt a shiver of anticipation at the thought of what she would do if she were ever in that position.

"And what are you trying to get out of all this?" She asked him.

"I want MBI and all the technologies they have stolen from that alien ship." Higa answered without hesitation. "My family owns a large pharmaceutical corporation that was once the leader in its field. MBI has pushed us into the shadows. I mean to make MBI disappear, they will become a part of my company and we will be the ones giving the world wonder drugs and miracle devices. When I am done no one will even remember Minaka's name."

"So you have a personal score to settle with Minaka because he hurt your family business?" Karasuba laughed. "What a petty motivation. You really are a very small man aren't you?"

Where her other insults had had no effect she noticed him stiffen at this one.

"Whatever you may think of my reasons my offer is genuine. I can guarantee you a place in the third phase with a maximum of points. If I can acquire more sekirei I will also be able to give you allies to help you reach our goal. With the other Disciplinary squad members not participating you would be the strongest sekirei in the field. With my help your victory would be almost certain. Working together we can both get what we want."

"Well it does sound interesting at least."

"Then will you be my sekirei?" Higa asked.

She gave him a wide smile. "No." She got up from the table and began to leave. "But thanks for the sword and an entertaining morning."

XXX

Minato and Yume were the last to come down to the breakfast table. As they went Yume was holding his arm and had her head resting on his shoulder. Her brown eyes were looking at him with such open affection that he just couldn't keep his face from turning red. She was just so beautiful and sweet and kind. How could a man not fall in love with her?

When they got downstairs everyone else was already seated and eating.

At the head of the table was Takehito. He was not dressed in his usual white lab coat but instead had on a grey sweat shirt and slacks. One either side of him were gorgeous young women, one with hair the color of ripe wheat and the other the color of pure silver. Yume greeted all three of them casually. The blonde she called Akizu and the other was Homura.

On the left hand side of the table was a man gorging himself and making a mess. He didn't look to have even a passing acquaintance with the concept of table manners. On either side were twin girls who were laughing and teasing him about the way he was eating.

"Please don't encourage him," Takehito complained. "That only makes him harder to control."

The twins laughed as though it were a joke but Minato got the idea that Takehito was being serious.

"Yo," the man said as Minato and Yume sat down. "Welcome to the family. My name is Seo and these are Hikari and Hibiki, numbers eleven and twelve. If there's anything you need to know just ask me. I'm the man with all the answers."

"Seo," Takehito said pleasantly as a hanyo mask materialized above his head. "Since when does a jobless bum who has to rely on charity for his daily bread and place to sleep have all the answers?"

"Ah! Sorry! Sorry! I was just trying to be helpful that's all!"

"If you really want to be helpful you can do the dishes once breakfast is over," the mask vanished.

"Sure, I'll have the girls take care of it."

"Wait a minute," the one dressed in purple asked. "Why do you expect us to do it?"

"What? You're my women now, it's only natural you take care of the woman's work."

Everyone else in the room stared at him as the girl in the purple S&M gear began to fume.

"Uh, Seo?" The other girl in pink spoke. "I don't think you should take us for granted like that. We are both your sekirei now and we both adore you, but you shouldn't treat us like servants."

"I'm not, I'm just treating you like my women." He turned to Hikari. "Go get me a beer babe." That made the other girl angrier.

"Uh oh," Hibiki said. Sensing what was about to happen she scooted back form the breakfast table.

Without warning some lightning appeared and struck Seo.

"Yaaaaaaahhh!"

"You will treat us with respect!" Hikari shouted at him as soon as her attack ended.

"Respect, right gotcha," the somewhat charred ashikabi said. "You know I'm going to have to make you pay for this in the bedroom later right?"

"What did you say?"

There was another miniature crack of lightning.

"Yaaaaaaaaaaahhh!"

Takehito shut his eyes and shook his head. "How did such an idiot actually finish college?"

XXX

Following breakfast Seo was exiled to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

"I'm taking the day off from work to show Akizu and Homura around and to buy them some more clothes and other things." Takehito announced. "Would you two like to join us Minato? Yume?"

They both nodded.

"Actually Takehito-san I was hoping to talk to you," Minato said. "Yume and I want to win the tournament to make sure all the sekirei will be free to live as they please. Could you give me some help with that?"

"I see," Takehito answered. "You're out not just to win a prize but the Grand Prize huh? I didn't realize Takami's kid was so ambitious."

"It's not for me, it's about protecting Yume and the other sekirei!" Looking over to her he took her hand and gazed into her loving eyes. "No matter what happens I never want to be separated from Yume. I want her to always be with me, and the only way I can guarantee that is by winning the tournament."

"Aw that is so sweet," Akizu said happily.

Homura nodded her head. "You have the right idea. Personally I think it disgusting that what happens to us is being decided by a damn game. Having to fight one another to decide if we'll be treated like people or like animals. it's really disgusting, and most of the other sekirei don't even understand what's at stake! They're just happy to be free and want to find an ashikabi."

"Count your blessings Homura," Takehito said. "This game could have been a lot worse."

"How do you mean?" Homura asked with a frown.

"Never mind, just be grateful it's not worse than it is." _At least the way it is now no sekirei should be killed. _Takehito turned his attention back to Minato who was still looking adoringly at Yume. "If you're serious about winning this tournament there are two things you can do. First you can help her train. Since we happen to have a total of five sekirei living here, and all of them strong ones, you're in luck as far as that goes. I expect there will be plenty of training here until phase one starts and even after."

"I promise to work as hard as I possibly can to get stronger before the opening phase begins," Yume stated excitedly. "I will definitely train as much as I can."

"Me too," Akizu said with a smile.

"And me," Homura said with a more serious visage.

"All right," Minato said. "So I can try and help Yume train. What's the other thing I can do?"

"You can wing more sekirei," Takehito answered.

"Huh?" Minato said dumbstruck.

"What?" Yume gasped with an unhappy look.

Takehito shrugged. "It's a simple matter of numbers. The first two rounds aren't necessarily about combat but about gathering points. The more sekirei you have the more of them you can place in the third round with a maximum of points."

"I don't want Minato-kun to have another sekirei." Yume said and pressed herself against him. "I will not lose. To be with Minato forever I will definitely win the Grand Prize."

"Yume," Minato said putting his arms around her. "Don't worry, you are the only one that I love. I won't wing anyone else. We'll win the tournament together, just you and me."

"Promise?" She asked.

"I promise." He leaned in and kissed her, sealing their promise.

"That is so romantic," Akizu sighed.

Looking on Homura was surprised to find herself feeling just a bit jealous.

"Well, we'll see how things go," Takehito said. "Come on let's go shopping all of you."

XXX

In the kitchen Seo was elbow deep in soapy water with a pile of pans and dishes stacked up in front of him.

"Are you two really not going to help me at all?"

"What was that?" Hikari asked as the air around them gained a static charge and her hair began to stick out.

"Nothing!" He quickly got back to scrubbing.


	10. Shopping with the girls

**Author's Notes:** To all the readers of my forum, three updates as promised.

XXX

With breakfast over the five of them went to Tokyo's largest mall in Takehito's car. It took over forty minutes with traffic and Akizu and Homura both complained that they could have reached it faster on their own.

"Just for today," Takehito chided. "Let's all pretend to be ordinary. Let's just do things the way normal people would."

"That sounds boring," Akizu complained.

"A lot of life is boring," Takehito said with a shrug. "That just makes the other parts all the more interesting."

"After being stuck in a lab my entire life I want to have some fun!" Akizu said with a pout.

"I went to some clubs yesterday," Homura mentioned. "One of them even offered me a job as a host."

"And how would you explain your little change in appearance since yesterday?" Takehito asked.

His question soured her mooed. "You know that's your fault. How am I supposed to get any sort of job with my switching every few days?"

_Switching?_ Minato wondered. He did not ask as he thought it might be rude.

"Don't worry about getting a job," Takehito told her. "You have a million Yen in your MBI account. Since you don't need to pay for rent or food that should last you until the end of the tournament."

"What happens after?" Homura asked. "I don't want to rely on you forever. I want to be able to make my own way."

"Then win one of the prizes and you'll never have to worry about money ever again."

XXX

Even trying to keep things low key there was just no way that three such stunning women wouldn't draw notice. As soon as they had arrived they began to get attention. Minato and Takehito walked behind as the three girls excitedly looked about the crowded mall and pointed to the various shops. Yume and Akizu were jumping about and emitting high pitched squeals. Homura wasn't quite so eager but was obviously enjoying herself as well.

The men who were about gawked at them. A few were scolded by their wives or girlfriends. Minato saw a group of five teenage boys approach the girls and offer to buy them all smoothies up on the food court. The girls laughed and politely declined.

Takehito observed this and also noticed the glum expression on Minato's face as one of them was earnestly trying to win over Yume.

"You don't need to worry you know."

"Huh?" Minato looked at him drawn out of his thoughts.

"You don't need to worry about Yume becoming interested in anyone else," Takehito clarified. "You are her ashikabi now. Believe me when I say there is no way anyone will replace you. In her eyes no one else is going to matter."

Minato wasn't sure, but he thought he detected just the tiniest bit of jealousy in the older man's voice.

"I know I don't need to worry. After last night, well… I know for sure now that Yume truly loves me as much as I love her."

"Yes," Takehito said in a nonchalant manner. "It's amazing how losing your virginity will change things."

"Gekk," Minato turned tomato red and choked a bit.

"Minato-kun!" Yume ran over and enthusiastically grabbed him by the arm. "I want to try out some clothes! Tell me what you think looks best on me!"

Takehito watched as he was led into a clothing store for what was certain to be hours of tedious shopping and waiting as Yume tried on one outfit after another.

"Poor bastard," he said laughing slightly.

He was still laughing when Akizu and Homura each grabbed one arm and began hauling him towards the same store.

"Hey!"

"Come on!" Akizu said with huge smile. "You're helping us pick clothes too!"

"No complaints either," Homura said with an evil gleam in her eye. Being who she was she knew the male mind set and could guess what he was thinking. "You brought us here so you have to take responsibility."

"And after this we'll go shoe shopping!" Akizu added.

"Oh why me?" Takehito groaned and was dragged forward.

XXX

Wisk, wisk, wisk.

Karasuba was using her sharpening stone on her new katana. She flipped the sword about to get a closer look at the razor sharp edge. Humans were weak creatures, but she had to admit they made some very nice things. _They're fit only to be servants_, she thought. They were far too frail to be anything else.

In her mind's eye she saw again the piles of dead bodies all around. She heard the screams and the cries for mercy. She recalled the pleasure of taking life, even if it had to be the life of pathetic human soldiers. The feel of her sword cutting flesh and bone… it just felt right.

How many years had it been since the last invasion? How long since she'd been allowed to kill? She was a lion trapped in her cage. It didn't matter that she was well fed and taken cared of. The urge to hunt, to kill, could never be denied. So many years of being an over glorified security guard had worn on her. She was consumed by blood lust, and not for more paltry humans. It was her own kind she wanted to hunt down. Their screams, their blood, that she longed for.

One person's blood above all others.

As if her thought was a magical summons the door to her quarters opened. There stood number one with a bouquet of red roses in her hands.

"Yara, yara Miya, I never knew you cared."

As always Miya ignored the joke and maintained her stern disposition. "These were delivered for you," Miya said with an uncompromising air. "They came with a note that read, 'please contact me and give me a chance to change your mind.' Do you have some sort of secret admirer?"

Karasuba frowned at her. "You know it's rude to read things sent to other people Miya."

She let the roses fall to the ground without a care. "It is also rude to ignore the rules and regulations we are sworn to follow. Improper relations with outsiders are not allowed for the members of this squad."

"I know, but then they're not allowed with people inside MBI either. That's why Matsu and Mutsu have to keep their little affair a secret. Really Miya, are we soldiers or are we supposed to be monks?"

Miya's lips turned downward. She knew all about Matsu and Mutsu. She'd punished both of them multiple times but they kept seeing each other anyway whenever they thought she was busy somewhere else. "Don't mention those two. And Kazehana with her drinking and her ridiculous infatuation with Minaka, I swear all of you are losing your discipline!"

"It's not discipline Miya, it's longing." She again turned her eyes to the edge of her sword and imagined how wonderful it would feel to slide it between Miya's ribs and see all her lovely blood come spilling out. Just the thought of it was enough to make Karasuba's heart begin to pound. "We aren't all like you with a stone for a heart. Some desires are just too strong to deny." Her hands tightened ever so slightly around the hilt of her sword.

"Giving into your passions is nothing but a sign of weakness," Miya replied primly.

"Maybe," Karasuba said with a teasing lilt. "But it does make life worth living."

"That is the difference between us Karasuba, and why I hold the God's seat. You should embrace your duty and desire nothing else. That is the true way of the warrior."

"No," she replied. "True warriors are driven by their desires. The Alexanders, the Caesars, the Attilas, the Tokugawas, the Napoleons, the Hitlers; all the ones who changed this world. None of them were stoic unfeeling marionettes. All of them longed for blood or treasure or glory; all of them followed their passions."

"You are not Caesar," Miya reminded her coolly. "You are my subordinate and a member of the Disciplinary Squad, be satisfied with that. Just follow the rules and forget any silly longings."

Having delivered her message Miya left.

Getting up from her seat Karasuba went over to the roses and found the small card that had come with them. There was no name or signature but there was a phone number.

"If I threw you down from the God's seat would you feel something then Miya? I wonder."

XXX

"What do you think about this one Minato-kun?" Yume stepped out of the dressing room with a little white cotton dress that showed off her shoulders and her legs well above the knee. It clung tightly to her figure and showed off her curves _very nicely._

Staring at her he couldn't manage to make a coherent sound. "Uhhhhhhhhhh…"

Seeing the reaction Yume grinned happily. "I'm taking this one too! Let me try another one!" She ducked back into the dressing room.

"What do you think Takehito-san?" Akizu asked. "Does it suit me?" She stepped out wearing a plum colored skirt that was slit down the side to reveal most of one leg. She had a tight fitting lemon yellow top that was opened to show off her more than ample bosom. A male customer who was passing by took one look at her and immediately fell down.

Takehito looked at her without interest. "It's fine," she said. "Now pick something so we can go."

"Everything I put on is just 'fine' with you," she said with frustration. "Could you at least try and say something different?"

"Fine," he said. "That outfit makes you look like a huge piece of fruit. Better?"

She glared at him and he could feel a sudden chill in the air. (Figuratively and literally.) She stomped back into the dressing room without a word.

"You really know how to handle women don't you?" Homura said. She had already done all her shopping and was relaxing with Takehito and Minato.

"I could build you a death ray or tell you about the secrets of the human and sekirei genome, but understanding women?" He shook his head. "That brilliant I'm not."

Next to him a ringing sound came from one of Minato's pockets. He pulled out his cell phone and took a look at the incoming number. Seeing who it was he declined to answer and let the call go through to his voice mail.

"Who was it?" Takehito asked.

"A woman who loves making my life difficult."

"Your mom?"

Minato shook his head. "No, I have more than one scary woman in my life."

XXX

"Stupid onii-chan! Answer your phone already!" A frustrated Yukari yelled.

Like the rest of the world she had been watching the sekiriei release on television and had seen her slacker brother become the very first master. She'd naturally hurried to Tokyo to meet her very first sekirei. She'd shown up at his apartment planning to surprise him only to have his geeky roommate apologize for the huge mess and tell her that her brother had left last night and still had not returned.

With no way to track down her brother and nothing better to do she decided to go and get an early lunch. As she went out to scout for a restaurant she stopped in her tracks as she spotted the cutest boy she had ever laid eyes on. He was obviously younger than she was but absolutely adorable! At his hip was a little girl of no more than eight or so who she guessed was his sister.

"Hmmmm, maybe I can ask him if he knows any good restaurants nearby. Then of course I can buy him lunch as a thank you." Rubbing her hands together she headed over to see if she could bump into him.

XXX

Back at the mall entrance a blonde woman with a black and white outfit and long flowing locks entered. She had an MBI card with a million Yen on it.

"I think I'll see about buying myself a new wardrobe."


	11. Wonderful Luck

**Author's Notes: **For any of you interested in my original work please check my website where I have updated today.

XXX

Shiina was just amazed at the volume of people on the sidewalk. All of them hurrying along either with them or in the opposite direction. There were cars constantly going past. Buildings towered over them and high above was a blue sky with the occasional cloud drifting past.

For someone who had spent his entire life inside a spaceship and then in a lab it was all kind of overwhelming.

Kusano was holding his hand tight, but appeared to be taking all of it in much more easily. Her wide eyes were straining to see _everything_. She delighted in all the new sights, being as excited at a passing car as she was over a flashing traffic light or a flight of pigeons going past overhead. She was totally carefree and saw this as a grand adventure.

_She's only like this because she trusts me to take care of her. _Shiina thought.

He affectionately patted the top of her head with his free hand. That earned him a happy smile from Kusano.

"Shiina-kun you don't need to be so worried."

"What do you mean Kusano?"

"Things will definitely be fine. We will find a good ashikabi and everything will work out, so don't worry."

Seeing her so content he couldn't help but smile back and nod. Kusano's attention was then drawn away by a blade of grass peeking out of a crack in the sidewalk. Shiina wondered if her words were just wishful thinking or something more. She sometimes dreamed things that came true. Before they'd ever met she'd had a dream about him and told their adjuster Takami about it.

Shiina was older and so felt the responsibility for takng care of both of them. So far they had been staying in a hotel room and getting food using his MBI card. They were slowly exploring Tokyo and trying to come to grips with life outside the gilded cage.

While Kusano didn't seem to have a care in the world Shiina couldn't help but worry about the future. The S Tournament was set to begin in a month's. They needed to find a good ashikabi so that they would not only have a home but be able to stand a chance when things began. The world was so big and he and Kusano were so small, it was scary to be completely on their own.

"Excuse me." A girl said right in front of him.

Shiina came to a halt and so did Kusano. The girl was a few years older than him and wearing a cute out fit with a short skirt and black leggings.

"Yes?" Shiina asked.

_He is so cute. _Yukari thought. She had the urge to just grab him and start doing all sorts of things to him. "I'm new to the big city and was wondering if you knew any good places to eat."

"Oh," Shiina said and rubbed the back mof his head nervously. Except for Takami and the lab techs and other sekirei he was still not used to actually talking to people. He was especially not used to talking to such a cute girl. "I'm very sorry but Kusano and I are new here too."

"What a coincidence," Yukari said sliding a bit closer to him. "Well maybe we could look for a place together? You haven't eaten yet have you?"

"Ahhhh…" Shiina was literally at a loss for words.

Fortunately he had someone else with him who wasn't.

He looked down as he felt Kusano tugging at his shirt. "Yes Kusano?"

"I don't want to eat with her Shiina-kun. She's ugly and has a black soul."

Yukari stood there stunned with her mouth hanging open for a second. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY ABOUT ME? I AM NOT UGLY!"

"Eep!" A terrified Kusano hid behind Shiina.

Shiina was a bit scared too. For some reason this girl reminded him of Takami when she got angry. "Ah please forgive her. Let's go Kusano." Grabbing her in both arms he fled the scene.

"But…" Before Yukari could do anything they were long gone.

Giving a frustrated sight Yukari headed off to find somewhere to eat alone. Despite the epic failure she hoped she saw the amazing cute boy again.

She also hoped that little brat got kidnapped by gypsies.

XXX

Kazehana was not surprised when Miya came out onto the MBI Tower roof. Except when she had a specific job to do she would prowl around the building in search of problems to correct. Kazehana had a large bottle of wine with her and was overlooking the capital.

"You have earned five demerits," Miya said primly.

"Fu, fu ,fu which rule have I broken? There are so many I keep losing track."

"Public drunkenness is not permitted," Miya informed her. "More and more you are becoming a public obscenity."

Kazehana made a point of looking all around the empty roof. "This is public? Who exactly am I supposed to be offending?"

"Anytime you are outside the Tower you are out in public."

Kazehana just shook her head. She knew better than to even try and change her mind. She'd expected Miya to turn around and leave not that she had caught her in a transgression. Surprisingly number one instead remained where she was and appeared thoughtful.

"Something on your mind?" Kazehana asked as she took a swig from her bottle.

"The discipline among you is getting worse." Miya announced. "I had hoped that all of you would take your duties more seriously now that things are under way. Instead each of you seem to care more about behaving however you please and doing only the bare minimum."

Kazehana shrugged. "Does it make a difference? How much are we really likely to do? When we were first formed we had a real mission and a real responsibility; to protect Kamikura Island and all our brothers and sisters waiting to be born. Now if we do anything it will be to our fellow sekirei, and we'll only be called in if anyone tries to leave Tokyo or deliberately harms civilians or an ashikabi."

"We still have a duty to enforce the rules of the S Tournament. That should be enough for all of you. Embrace your duty and take satisfaction in that."

"Duty, duty, duty is that all you think about?" Kazehana gave a sudden bark of laughter. "What am I saying? Of course it is. Miya that may be enough for you since you don't have a heart, but for the rest of us it just isn't. We need something to love. Soldiers need to protect something they love. Otherwise what's the point?"

Miya stared back at her. "A true warrior fights because it is her responsibility to regardless of her personal feelings. Feelings change like the wind, but your duty is as solid and unchanging as a mountain."

Kazehana gave her a wide smile. "Well given how I feel about the wind you can probably guess which I'd prefer. Besides, carrying that mountain will end up crushing you sooner or later."

Miya stared at her unhappily for a moment before turning around and leaving.

"That woman needs to get laid in the worst possible way." Kazehana took another drink.

XXX

"Why exactly are the two humans carrying everything instead of the super strong sekirei?" Takehito groused. He was weighed under by a dozen shopping bags, every one filled up.

"Áren't the men supposed to carry things for the women they accompany?" Akizu asked with a mischievous smile.

"I'm a scientist not a fork lift." He sent Homura a silent appeal.

The young woman was dressed in the black pants and shirt she usually favored. "Check back with me in a few days."

Minato was also staggering under the weight of a number of bags.

Yume was right by his side. "Minato-kun I'd be happy to carry the bags. I don't mind a bit."

"That's okay Yume-chan," he said trying to hide the strain. "My mother always taught me that a man had to pull his own weight."

"Really?" Takehito asked. "Did she also mention carrying the entire weight of a clothing outlet?"

"Takehito-san," Akizu said with a slight pout. "If you keep this up I'm going to start thinking you're not very manly."

"I'm not." Takehito told her without shame. "Why do you think I became friends with Seo? He's always been good at physical labor, you just need to keep him motivated."

"Huh, so that explains it." Homura said.

"What the hell are you staring at you damn monkey?"

Five heads turned in the direction of the sudden shriek.

There was a woman with long overflowing blonde hair in leather boots and a black and white outfit grabbing some poor man by the collar and shaking him back and forth so hard his head was threatening to fall off.

"I… I… wasn't looking at anything I swear." The man pleaded.

"Liar! You were obviously staring at my chest!"

"Well can you blame him? Those suckers are pretty hard to miss." Akizu called out.

The woman suddenly stopped her violent shaking and her head snapped around to glare at Akizu.

"Oh no," Takehito muttered.

"Just who are you?" The angry blonde demanded as she let go of her current victim. The man wasted no time scrambling away.

"My name is Akizu," she said brightly. "What's yours?"

Standing up straight and planting hands on hips she replied. "I am Tsukiumi sekirei number nine, the water sekirei."

"Number nine?" Takehito said startled. "So you're Miyajima's!"

An involuntary shudder passed through Tsukiumi's body and she looked about nervously. "Don't mention her name! You'll summon her!"

'_Summon her?' _Minato mouthed soundlessly. _Is she some sort of demon?_

Takehito was eyeing her curiously. Of all the sekirei number nine had had the absolute bare minimum of interaction with MBI. The mad scientist in him was more than a little curious about just what sort of adjustments his senior had given her. "I would love to get you in my lab and take a nice long look at you. I'd like to discover the secrets of your body."

Minato stared at him. Homura slapped her face into her palm while muttering something about 'idiot savants.' Yume smiled while Akizu giggled. "Okay, five man points for you."

Tsukiumi's reaction was to turn a dangerous shade of red while threatening to erupt. "How shameless! To come right out and say you want to violate me!"

"Oh I don't want to violate you." Takehito said wanting to clear things up. "I would just want to take some samples and maybe probe you a bit."

"You actually admit it?" Tsukiumi shouted. A ball of water formed in her hand. "Pig! _Water Festival_!" Like a pitcher throwing a fastball she launched it directly at Takehito.

In a flash Akizu's playful demeanor vanished. She waved a hand in front of herself. "_Winter's Breath._"

Hallway to its target the ball of water turned to ice; thudding to the floor and skidding away harmlessly.

Instantly Homura and Yume were both at her side standing between Tsukiumi and Takehito and a dumbstruck Minato.

"What do you think you're doing?" Homura demanded. "The Tournament doesn't start for another month and you're not supposed to attack civilians."

Tsukiumi's eyes narrowed at the three women in front of her. "Don't tell me you are all sekirei?"

All three nodded.

"I am Homura, number six the fire sekirei."

"I am Yume, number eight the fate sekirei."

"Number seven, the ice sekirei at your service."

"Three single numbers?" Tsukiumi said surprised. It was said that the single numbers were more powerful than the rest. Up until this moment Tsukiumi had never faced off against another sekirei. She marveled at the luck of running into three of the strongest right from the start.

"That's right," Homura said. "Given the odds it would be best for you to…"

"Wonderful!" Tsukiumi said excitedly.

"Excuse me?" Homura said startled. Facing not one, not two, but three single numbers she'd expected her to back down.

"I intend to prove myself to be the strongest, and without having to be shackled to an ashikabi. I'll take on all three of you and prove my strength."

"That sounds like a great idea!" Takehito said.

"Hey!" Homura turned around to glare at him. "What are you doing encouraging this?"

"Well if I can't get her in my lab for a good probing the next best thing I can do is observe her under combat situations." Takehito told her. "I really am curious to see what her body can do."

"Pig." Tsukiumi growled. "I will fight you honorably in one to one matches. We can go outside and do this where no civilians will be involved."

"Well that's generous of you." Homura said. "Our diaries aren't active yet. Even if we fight we won't earn any points. So why bother?"

"I want to test just how strong I really am. I can't think of a better way than to defeat three single numbers."

"I can see humility is your string suit." Akizu said, earning a glare from her opponent.

"Instead of worrying about that you would be better served spending your time looking for an ashikabi." Homura said.

"I agree," Yume said sparing a quick glance back at Minato.

"Never! I will never allow any dirty monkey to violate me!"

"Your ashikabi doesn't violate you." Yume said earnestly. "He makes love to you! The way he touches your body and how his mouth licks at your…"

"Yume!"

"Yes Minato?" She looked back at him curiously.

"Uhm, let's keep all of that private, okay?"

"Why Minato-kun? You seemed really proud of the way you made my body sing."

Minato's face turned crimson.

Takehito again felt a certain spark of jealousy.

"Disgusting!" Tsukiumi roared. "I'll never allow a man to do those things to me!"

"Well that's all right." Akizu said with a straight face. "Being a lesbian is perfectly acceptable these days. I mean you are pretty butch."

Tsukiumi glared at Akizu who just stood there and smiled back at her.

Tsukiumi pointed at her. "I'll defeat you first! Do you have the courage to face me?"

Akizu shrugged. "Sure, why not?"


	12. Punishment is required

"… they're real live sekirei! They're…"

"… a fight! I can't believe…"

"… we get to see…"

Homura was glancing at the crowd that had gathered around them in the mall parking lot. There had to be at least a thousand people, all of them looking on excitedly. Many had camera phones out and were treating all this as some sort of huge entertainment.

"Didn't we come out to the parking lot to get away from the civilians?" Homura asked.

"It can't be helped," Takehito said excitedly. "This is after all the first time sekirei have faced each other in a real live match." He began rubbing his hands together. "It makes me want to go home and perform some experiments." He turned a speculative eye to his favorite test subject.

"No!" Homura hugged herself. "No more experiments! You promised remember?"

"It wouldn't have to be invasive."

"No!"

Standing off to the side a bit Minato looked on nervously. "Is this really all right? For us to just to stand here and let them fight?"

Yume nodded. "Sekirei fights are one to one. It wouldn't be fair for Homura and me to jump in."

"That's not really what I meant," Minato said. "I mean they're going to fight seriously. What if they hurt each other? Is it really okay to just stand here and watch?'

"This is what the S Tournament is all about Minato-kun. Even though this is an unofficial match all those who want to win the grand prize, or any prize, will have to fight like this. If you are serious about winning the grand prize you will have to watch me fight many times."

"I don't really want to see that," Minato said quietly.

Smiling Yume grabbed his arm and pressed herself against him. "It makes me happy to hear you worry about me, but it's all right. I am very strong and will definitely not lose until I have won the grand prize for you. It's a promise."

"I don't think you can make a promise like that."

There was an odd look in her eye. "Then call it fate."

XXX\

"Are you ready to face me?" Tsukiumi shouted. She was standing about twenty yards away from her opponent.

"Sure," Akizu said and gave an indifferent shrug. "I mean it is sort of pointless, but okay."

"You dare call this pointless?" Tsukiumi demanded point a finger at her.

"Well, yeah, I mean there is no way you could beat me."

Tsukiumi clamped down her jaw and felt herself begin to shake with rage. "How dare you say that you arrogant slug? You have no idea of my power!"

"You really don't get it do you? This has nothing to do with how strong you are." Akizu sighed. "Fine, let me explain it to you. You are the sekirei of water. I am the sekirei of ice. Now if you weren't aware of this water turns to ice. So no matter how much water you hurl at me I can just turn all of it to ice. I am literally the absolute worst opponent you could face. In other words," Akizu produced a huge ear to ear smile. "You're my bitch."

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Tsukiumi screamed at the top of her lungs. "_Water Festival!"_

A gigantic ball of water formed above Tsukiumi and launched itself at Akizu.

Standing her ground Akizu waved a disinterested hand. "_Winter's Breath."_

Halfway between them the gigantic ball of water solidified into a chunk of solid ice. It landed on the pavement with a crack and began rolling along like a bowling ball. Akizu took a lazy side step and watched it go slowly past.

The watching crowd 'oohed' and 'awed' and applauded loudly.

Tsukiumi stood there grinding her teeth and with both fists clenched so tight her nails were cutting into her palms.

Akizu looked over to her clearly amused. "Are you starting to see my point… bitch?"

"I will not be beaten! _Water Hydra!_"

"_Winter's Breath." _

This time the shouts of approval from the crowd were even louder as an eight headed snake was suddenly turned into an ice sculpture.

"What else have you got?" Akizu asked.

With a wordless cry of fury and frustration Tsukiumi renewed her attack.

Homura turned to Takehito. "I think this may last awhile."

"Yes, isn't it wonderful?" Takehito had his own phone out and was using it as a digital recorder.

XXX

Benitsubasa was pacing back and forth obviously unhappy with the current situation.

"You're going to wear out a hole in the carpet," Haihane told her. She was currently lying on her stomach playing video games on a massive TV screen. At the moment Benitsubasa, Haihane and a few of their fellow sekirei were relaxing in their master's game room.

"Oh shut up!" Benitsubasa snapped. "How can you be okay with knowing that our master is talking to that monster?"

"Easy," Haihane replied. "I play video games and try not to worry about things I have no control over… such as breast size."

Benitsubasa glared at number 104 but she never took her eyes off the screen. "You should take this seriously! It affects all of us! Why would our master even want one of MBI's dogs anyway?"

A cute petite girl spoke with a lilting sing song voice. "Master is much wiser than you are. She's a single number with actual experience fighting. Of course master wants her."

Benitsubasa redirected her wrath towards number 101 Oriha. "You can't trust her! How can you trust someone whose job it's been to keep the rest of us in line? You just can't trust those Disciplinary Squad members!"

"If our master trusts her that should be more than enough for you." Oriha said pleasantly.

"Moron! What makes you think he can't be wrong?"

"Are you going to tell him that?" Oriha asked.

Benitsubasa pictured his reaction if she questioned him. She swiftly shook her head. "No."

"Then just be quiet about it," Oriha said smugly. "I am sure Higa-san knows what he is doing."

XXX

In the private office of his mansion Higa was sitting down at his desk trying not to look overly pleased with himself.

"I am very happy to hear that you will be accepting my offer after all."

"Before I do you should understand a few things." Karasuba told him. "We will be partners in this, so never imagine you can give me orders the way you do the others. Tell me what you have in mind and **I **will decide if I'm interested. If I want to do something don't try to stop me unless you've grown tired of living. Even if you are my ashikabi it's not like I'd be terminated if you die. The only way I'd suffer is that I wouldn't have an ashikabi anymore." She chuckled. "Not much of a deterrent."

"I will keep that in mind." Higa said coolly.

Karasuba liked his calm acceptance and thought he might not be too annoying to deal with. "When I win the grand prize you can keep the ship and the technology and the rest, all I want is the sekirei." She lightly stroked the handle of her sword. "Especially number one."

"I think we understand each other quite well Karasuba-san. Win the grand prize for me and you can do whatever you like to them."

"Good, in that case let's seal our pact." She rounded the desk as he remained seated. Grabbing him by the back of his head she planted a savage kiss on his lips. A crest and wings of light appeared.

The entire time Higa remained passive and with a look of utter disinterest on his face.

Karasuba looked excited, as all sorts of possibilities were in her mind. "Let's make the blood flow, now and forever."

XXX

Tsukiumi was bent over at the waist with her hands on her knees. She was drenched in sweat and huffing trying to catch her breath. The crowd that had originally gathered to watch had been joined by several news crews as well as a couple helicopters flying above them.

Between her and her adversary was a thirty foot tall hill of pure ice.

"Damn… it…" an exhausted, but still defiant, Tsukiumi panted.

"You know this was fun at first, but now it's just sad." Akizu said.

"Actually it's gotten to the point of being sort of pathetic." Homura added.

"Too much pride really is a bad thing." Yume agreed.

"Well I guess there's nothing more to learn now." Takehito said putting his phone away. "We may as well go." He glanced about the parking lot. "Now where did I park again?"

"Section D-4." Homura supplied.

"Oh, that's right."

"Can you make us oden for dinner tonight?" Yume asked.

"Sure," Takehito said.

"We should go shopping again some time. This was fun." Akizu said as she and the others started to head toward where the car was parked.

"Hey!" Tsukiumi straightened and found some energy. "Don't just ignore me! I'm not beaten yet!"

Akizu looked back over her shoulder at her. "You're joking right?" She and the others continued to walk away.

"I mean it! I'll make you rue the day you… aack!" Tsukiumi fell over. She only then noticed that her leather boots had been frozen in place. Falling over she gave the entire world a clear view of her panties.

"Some people really don't know when to quit." Akizu said sounding disappointed.

By the time Tsukiumi managed to free herself her opponents were long gone.

XXX

Tsukiumi made it home feeling weary and humiliated and in no mood for anything but a nice hot bath. _I will definitely win the next time I face that woman! _She thought as she entered. _From now on we are rivals! I definitely will not rest until I have avenged this shameful defeat!_

"Tsukiumi, come into the living room please."

Tsukiumi froze. _Oh no, not today!_

"Now Tsukiumi." The insistent voice called.

"Yes baba." She trudged into the living room expecting the usual annoying questions about how her day went and if she'd found an ashikabi.

So she was startled to see herself on the big screen fallen over with her butt sticking in the air and her panties on display.

"So," Miyajima said pleasantly. "You not only lose your very first match but you flash the entire viewing public?"

"Oh no." Tsukiumi said and began to tremble. She knew what was coming next.

Miyajima's terrifying face suddenly appeared. "Punishment is required!"

"Noooooooooooooooo!"

XXX

Tsukiumi was not able to sit for the next three days.


	13. What was whole is shattered

Miya stormed through the corridor and into the antechamber. It was rare for her to display any emotion. Usually her face was a blank canvas; her voice and her words were perpetually stoic. Contrary to rumor number one _could _feel emotions, she simply preferred not to make a public display of them.

Today though was an obvious exception.

There was a ferocious scowl on her face and as she swept past people were quick to get out of her way and lower their eyes. In the antechamber outside Minaka's office the secretaries took one look at her and did not dare to so much as call out for her to stop.

A short distance behind Miya three other members of the disciplinary squad followed. Unlike their leader they appeared to be calm enough. If anything they looked to be confused as to what was going on. Miya had ordered them to come with her and so they had.

She burst through the doors to Minaka's private office. "What is the meaning of this?" She shouted.

Inside the office Minaka was in his usual white suit with ostentatious cape. He was standing and had a wide smile. "Ah, number one, I see you got my message."

Standing next to him was Karasuba. She had a sword belted on but was not in her uniform. Instead she was dressed in a dark grey top with a short black skirt. The sudden outburst had brought forth one of her playful little grins. "Yara, yara, did you come to see me off? I am touched Miya I never knew you cared."

"Get back in your uniform and return to duty." Miya growled. "You are a member of this squad and I don't intend to let you desert! I didn't let the others abandon our master and I won't allow you to either."

"Is that what this is about?" Mutsu asked as he quickly shut the doors. "Karasuba wants out?"

"I never thought you'd try and desert." Kazehana said. "Welcome to the club. We should drink to it."

"Number four will not be permitted to abandon her duty." Miya said flatly. "No matter what that requires." She placed a hand on the hilt of her sword.

Karasuba put a hand on hers as well and turned to face Miya while opening her stance up. "Please don't tease me; I'm starting to get very excited."

"Now, now," Minaka said shaking a finger at both of them. "Let's not have any of that here. I want to see just how number four does in the tournament."

"Wait!" Matsu said in surprise. "Are you actually okay with Karasuba joining the other sekirei?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Miya snapped. "She is a part of the Disciplinary Squad."

"Not anymore," Karasuba replied. "I have an ashikabi now and I've decided to join this little game."

"You have an ashikabi?" Matsu sounded excited. "Have you performed any experiments with him yet?"

Kazehana brought her hands together over her chest. "So you actually found love? I am so happy for you."

Karasuba gave a startled laugh. "Love? Don't be stupid. There's no way I could love a weakling human. Though I do admit he seems to have more guts and brains than most of his useless kind."

"Why would you take an ashikabi if it wasn't for love?" Kazehana asked.

"For the sake of claiming the Grand Prize of course." Her mocking eyes were directed towards Miya. "I mean to topple you from the God's seat Miya and make the streets run with blood." Just the thought of it was making her start to tremble with excitement.

"The God's seat could never belong to someone who has no sense of honor."

"It belongs to whoever can get the jinki. With those I can get rid of you and anyone else I like." An amused glance took in her other teammates. "If I win this silly contest I'll have the power to slaughter whoever I please."

"If you are serious about that I will kill you here and now." In a flash Miya drew out her sword.

Karasuba did the same and both of them were ready to strike.

"This is wonderful!" Minaka said practically dancing about. "When number four came to me I knew it was the will of the gods! She will play the part of the monster who wants to bring on the end of all things! How epic! How perfect! This must be what the gods had in mind all along. A grand battle to decide the fate of the world! Isn't it just marvelous?"

"You cannot possibly be _happy _about the prospect of someone like Karasuba getting her hands on the jinki." Mutsu said. "With all eight she really could kill anyone she wants, human as well as sekirei."

"I know!" Minaka said eagerly. "That will give the tournament apocalyptic meaning! The world will be reborn or else it will end. I have to admit I'm excited to see how it plays out myself."

Mutsu looked over at Matsu and twirled a finger by the side of his head.

"Put away your swords both of you," Minaka ordered. "It would ruin things if you killed each other now."

"Yara, yara, that's fine, I can wait." Karasuba sheathed her blade. "Aren't you going to obey your master Miya? That is what you do best after all."

Though clearly not pleased Miya did put away her sword. "Master how can you allow this?"

"Everything is for the sake of the tournament." Minaka said happily. "From the moment I discovered the ship and the sekirei it was obvious I was being directed by the gods. The S Tournament will mark a renewal of the world or its end, whichever the gods decide."

"You see Miya? It's not my fault at all." Karasuba spread her hands. "Blame the gods."

"Master," Miya said. "Karasuba is a member of the Disciplinary Squad. How can you allow her to abandon us just as the real work is about to start?"

"The squad's most important work was defending Kamakura Island in order to allow this day to take place. I am sure that my private army can manage to enforce order during the Tournament. If members of the squad want to join in I will allow it. After all, we need heroes as well as monsters."

"Wait!" Matsu chirped. "Are you saying the rest of us can also just leave if we want?"

"No!" Miya said sharply.

"Yes," Minaka said overruling her.

"Mutsu and I are leaving then!" Matsu shouted as she grabbed onto Mutsu's arm.

"What about your duty?" Miya demanded.

"Screw duty!" Matsu replied.

Miya growled and put her hand back on her sword.

"Eek!" Matsu wisely ducked behind Mutsu.

Facing Miya Mutsu gave a weary sigh. "If it really is an option I guess the two of us will go."

"How can you say that?" Miya demanded. "Doesn't your duty mean anything to you?"

"To be honest Miya, no." Mutsu answered. "I mean back when we were fighting to save the others from attack, yes it did have meaning. But that was a long time ago. What meaning does it have now when all we do is follow all your petty rules for the sake of some insane game? None of us volunteered for this Miya. You've been forcing us to follow you all this time. Really, what sort of loyalty are you expecting?"

Mutsu peeked out from behind her boyfriend's back. "You won't let us go out, you won't let us have fun, hell you won't even let us have sex! There are prisoners who have more freedom than we do!"

"Sacrifices have to be made for the sake of the greater good." Miya argued.

"What greater good?" Mutsu asked shaking his head. "Miya, we have become nothing but the mindless servants of MBI and its petty dictator." He looked over at Minaka. "No offense."

"None taken." Minaka said. "You should hear some of the things Takami calls me."

"My point is," Mutsu continued. "You keep speaking of honor and duty but the entire time you've denied us a choice. If we are being given a choice now we choose to leave. We've already made enough sacrifices, what we want is freedom."

"That's wonderful," Minaka applauded. "Just talk to one of my secretaries and we will register you and provide you some MBI debit cards as well as a pair of diaries."

Miya whirled about. "Are you really going to allow this to happen?"

Minaka nodded. "Let them all fight and let the gods choose who they will."

"What about you number three?" Miya asked. "Are you going to abandon everything as well?"

For just a heartbeat Kazehana glanced at Minaka before giving a heartfelt sigh. "If I agreed to stay would you at least let me go out and have some drinks and some fun when I'm off duty?"

"Of course not," Miya said flatly.

"Then yeah, I guess I'll leave too. I'm not really interested in fighting or winning a prize. I just want to be able to drink a little when I feel like it and maybe explore this city and see what there is to find here."

"Don't you understand what you are doing?" Miya asked the three of them. "You are shattering the squad! Is that what you want?"

"If it means I get to have sex with Mutsu without being scared of being caught then yes!" Matsu replied loudly while staying behind her boyfriend.

"Yara, yara you just don't get it do you Miya?" Karasuba spoke with deep satisfaction. "We have not been one unit for a long time now. We have been five separate pieces for a while now. We only lasted this long because you didn't give the others a choice and because I was satisfied with it. No one else cares anymore about honor or duty or any of it."

To her bitter disappointment Miya saw the others nod their heads.

"I suppose I just expected more from all of you."

"Would you also like to join the game?" Minaka asked. "We can disband the squad and let the MBI security forces handle things from here on out."

"No," Miya said sharply. "Even if the others abandon their duty I never will."

Karasuba chuckled. "How does it feel to be the very last samurai?"

Miya straightened her back and squared her shoulders. "It feels like an honor, not that you would understand it."

The two of them stared each other down.

"I am so going to enjoy killing you when the time comes." Karasuba said.

"I feel the same; at least we agree on that much I suppose." She turned around and walked to the doors. Matsu made sure to keep Mutsu between them at all times. Opening the doors Miya looked back at all of them. "So far as I am concerned you are all traitors. Even if our master does permit your actions know this; if the situation arises I will not hesitate to kill any of you."

With that she strode away.

Karasuba gave a little shiver. "And you think I'm the monster."


End file.
